How much does an engineer make in San Francisco?
$159,800a year
Median yearly pay for engineers in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area. That is $76.83 an hour or $13,320 a month.
- Hourly
- $76.83
- Vs. national median
- +30%
- Rank among cities
- 4 of 248
- Jobs in the area
- 4,850
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $86,080Median: $159,800Highest 10%: $273,800
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $86,080 | $41.38 | |
| 25th | $118,900 | $57.16 | |
| Median | $159,800 | $76.83 | |
| 75th | $209,600 | $100.78 | |
| 90th | $273,800 | $131.63 |
Other cities in California
Median yearly pay for engineers.
| San Jose, CA | $169,700 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $141,200 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $140,000 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $136,700 |
| San Diego, CA | $132,800 |
| Stockton, CA | $127,600 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $125,100 |
| Sacramento, CA | $124,200 |
| Oxnard, CA | $123,000 |
| Fresno, CA | $122,500 |
| Modesto, CA | $111,800 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $104,800 |
| Vallejo, CA | $102,400 |
| Riverside, CA | $100,100 |
| Salinas, CA | $98,950 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $97,210 |
Related jobs in San Francisco
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Computer Hardware Engineer | $203,900 |
| Aerospace Engineer | $191,300 |
| Electrical Engineer | $166,000 |
| Electronics Engineer | $162,400 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $161,400 |
| 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 engineer make an hour in San Francisco?
The median hourly pay in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area is $76.83 ($159,800 a year).
Do engineers make more in San Francisco than the national average?
Yes: $159,800 against $122,900 nationally, 30% more.
How does San Francisco compare with the rest of California?
The median in California is $130,900, so San Francisco pays 22% more.
Where does San Francisco rank for engineer pay?
4 of 248 metro areas with data.
How much does an engineer make starting out in San Francisco?
The lowest-paid 10% make $86,080 or less a year; the top 10% make $273,800 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.