Special Effects Artists and Animators H1B Salary in San Francisco, CA
SOC 27-1014.00· Last updated from DOL OFLC Disclosure Data · FY2026
The median H1B base salary for Special Effects Artists and Animators in San Francisco, CA is $127,314, based on 54 disclosure filings to the U.S. Department of Labor through FY2026.
Source: DOL OFLC Disclosure Data (FY2026) · About
Median H1B Wage
$127,314
Total H1B Filings
54
Wage Range
$62,941 – $233,889
Prevailing Wage Premium
+15.5% above
Filings at prevailing wage
7%
Share of H-1B filings offering exactly the DOL prevailing wage.
Top H1B Employers in San Francisco
| # | Employer | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | super free games | 5 |
| 2 | Lyft | 3 |
| 3 | concept art house | 3 |
H-1B Prevailing-Wage Level Mix
- Level I (entry)17.9%(10)
- Level II35.7%(20)
- Level III26.8%(15)
- Level IV (expert)17.8%(10)
- Unknown1.8%(1)
OEWS prevailing-wage levels claimed on the filings (Level I entry → Level IV expert); filing-level counts. Wage level affects lottery odds →
FY2027 Lottery Entry Weighting
Under the FY2027 weighted H-1B selection, a cap-subject registration earns pool entries equal to its OEWS wage level — Level IV gets 4×the entries of Level I. More entries mean proportionally better odds, but the actual odds also depend on the national applicant pool, which is unknown until the draw runs — so this card shows the entry weighting, not a chance of being selected.
2.45 entries
Average lottery entries per registration for this role and area under FY2027 weighting (1 = entry-level, 4 = highest).
- Level I (entry)1×18.2% of filings (10)
- Level II2×36.3% of filings (20)
- Level III3×27.3% of filings (15)
- Level IV (expert)4×18.2% of filings (10)
45.5% of level-tagged filings here are Level III–IV (3–4 entries each). The draw stays beneficiary-centric: one person is one unit no matter how many employers register them, and if the same beneficiary is registered at different wage levels, the lowest level sets the weight.
Rules as of July 25, 2026; effective for FY2027 (DHS weighted selection, eff. Feb 27 2026); subject to ongoing litigation.
FY2027 DHS weighted selection · OEWS wage levels · entry weighting only, not a guarantee of selection.
Where Does My Offer Stand?
Type an offered annual wage to see how it compares with this page's median — and the FY2027 lottery entry weight it would earn in this metro. Your offer is computed in your browser and added to this page's link so you can share it; your last valid offer is also saved in this browser's local storage on this device to prefill your next visit. It is sent to our servers only if you download the snapshot card.
Entry weighting reflects 58 level-tagged filings in this metro's lottery pool (6-digit SOC × metro — a wider universe than this page's filing count). The draw stays beneficiary-centric: one person is one unit, and if the same beneficiary is registered at different wage levels, the lowest level sets the weight.
Official DOL OFLC prevailing wage levels, 2025–26 wage year (BLS May 2024 OEWS).
DOL has proposed raising the Level I–IV wage thresholds (rulemaking pending, 2026); the breakpoints shown reflect current OEWS levels.
Rules as of July 25, 2026; effective for FY2027 (DHS weighted selection, eff. Feb 27 2026); subject to ongoing litigation.
Special Effects Artists and Animators in San Francisco, CA — H-1B wage summary (FY2021–2026)
As of FY2026, Special Effects Artists and Animators (SOC 27-1014.00) in San Francisco, CA has 54 H-1B LCA filings on record with a median annual wage of $127,314, representing a 15.5% premium above the DOL prevailing wage for this occupation in this metro area. The top employers were super free games, Lyft, and concept art house. Source: U.S. Department of Labor OFLC Disclosure Data, aggregated and analyzed by VisaSalaries Research. https://visasalaries.com/about
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the median H1B salary for Special Effects Artists and Animators in San Francisco?
The median H1B base salary for Special Effects Artists and Animators in San Francisco, CA is $127,314, based on 54 labor condition application (LCA) filings disclosed by the U.S. Department of Labor through FY2026.
How many H1B applications are filed for Special Effects Artists and Animators in San Francisco?
There are 54 H1B LCA filings on record for Special Effects Artists and Animators (SOC 27-1014.00) in San Francisco, CA with the U.S. Department of Labor through FY2026.
What is the H1B salary range for Special Effects Artists and Animators in San Francisco?
Disclosed H1B annual wages for Special Effects Artists and Animators in San Francisco, CA range from $62,941 to $233,889, based on DOL OFLC filings through FY2026.
How do Special Effects Artists and Animators H1B wages in San Francisco compare to the prevailing wage?
The median H1B wage for Special Effects Artists and Animators in San Francisco, CA is 15.5% above the U.S. Department of Labor prevailing wage for this occupation in this metro area.
Which employers file the most H1B applications for Special Effects Artists and Animators in San Francisco?
The top H1B sponsors for Special Effects Artists and Animators in San Francisco, CA are super free games, Lyft, and concept art house. Source: DOL OFLC Disclosure Data.
What SOC code is Special Effects Artists and Animators?
Special Effects Artists and Animators is classified under SOC code 27-1014.00 in the U.S. Department of Labor Standard Occupational Classification system.
Where does this Special Effects Artists and Animators salary data for San Francisco come from?
All figures are aggregated from U.S. Department of Labor OFLC disclosure filings (H-1B LCA records) for worksites in San Francisco, CA by VisaSalaries and updated quarterly. See our data overview at https://visasalaries.com/about for details.