How much does a mechanical engineer make in San Francisco?
$161,400a year
Median yearly pay for mechanical engineers in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area. That is $77.58 an hour or $13,450 a month.
- Hourly
- $77.58
- Vs. national median
- +55%
- Rank among cities
- 2 of 346
- Jobs in the area
- 5,150
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $102,700Median: $161,400Highest 10%: $212,400
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $102,700 | $49.38 | |
| 25th | $128,300 | $61.70 | |
| Median | $161,400 | $77.58 | |
| 75th | $184,000 | $88.46 | |
| 90th | $212,400 | $102.11 |
Other cities in California
Median yearly pay for mechanical engineers.
| San Jose, CA | $168,000 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $132,900 |
| Salinas, CA | $132,600 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $123,900 |
| San Diego, CA | $121,800 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $121,100 |
| Sacramento, CA | $121,000 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $120,700 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $119,800 |
| Stockton, CA | $117,400 |
| Oxnard, CA | $117,400 |
| Vallejo, CA | $106,800 |
| Redding, CA | $106,000 |
| Modesto, CA | $105,000 |
| Riverside, CA | $104,900 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $102,300 |
| Fresno, CA | $98,740 |
| Visalia, CA | $92,770 |
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 |
| 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 a mechanical engineer make an hour in San Francisco?
The median hourly pay in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area is $77.58 ($161,400 a year).
Do mechanical engineers make more in San Francisco than the national average?
Yes: $161,400 against $104,100 nationally, 55% more.
How does San Francisco compare with the rest of California?
The median in California is $130,900, so San Francisco pays 23% more.
Where does San Francisco rank for mechanical engineer pay?
2 of 346 metro areas with data.
How much does a mechanical engineer make starting out in San Francisco?
The lowest-paid 10% make $102,700 or less a year; the top 10% make $212,400 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.