How much does an electrical engineer make in San Francisco?
$166,000a year
Median yearly pay for electrical engineers in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area. That is $79.82 an hour or $13,840 a month.
- Hourly
- $79.82
- Vs. national median
- +38%
- Rank among cities
- 3 of 317
- Jobs in the area
- 2,470
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $97,500Median: $166,000Highest 10%: $219,100
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $97,500 | $46.88 | |
| 25th | $124,700 | $59.96 | |
| Median | $166,000 | $79.82 | |
| 75th | $204,500 | $98.31 | |
| 90th | $219,100 | $105.32 |
Other cities in California
Median yearly pay for electrical engineers.
| San Jose, CA | $187,100 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $164,900 |
| Vallejo, CA | $160,100 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $139,800 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $136,200 |
| Sacramento, CA | $136,200 |
| Fresno, CA | $134,800 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $134,600 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $133,600 |
| Stockton, CA | $131,100 |
| Oxnard, CA | $129,900 |
| San Diego, CA | $127,300 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $127,000 |
| Salinas, CA | $126,500 |
| Redding, CA | $126,200 |
| Visalia, CA | $124,000 |
| Yuba City, CA | $123,700 |
| Riverside, CA | $110,000 |
| Modesto, CA | $110,000 |
Related jobs in San Francisco
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Computer Hardware Engineer | $203,900 |
| Aerospace Engineer | $191,300 |
| Electronics Engineer | $162,400 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $161,400 |
| Engineer | $159,800 |
| Health and Safety Engineer | $147,200 |
| Petroleum Engineer | $143,600 |
| Bioengineer and Biomedical Engineer | $140,700 |
| Marine Engineer and Naval Architect | $140,500 |
| Environmental Engineer | $138,800 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does an electrical engineer make an hour in San Francisco?
The median hourly pay in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area is $79.82 ($166,000 a year).
Do electrical engineers make more in San Francisco than the national average?
Yes: $166,000 against $120,600 nationally, 38% more.
How does San Francisco compare with the rest of California?
The median in California is $144,000, so San Francisco pays 15% more.
Where does San Francisco rank for electrical engineer pay?
3 of 317 metro areas with data.
How much does an electrical engineer make starting out in San Francisco?
The lowest-paid 10% make $97,500 or less a year; the top 10% make $219,100 or more.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.