Aerospace Engineer salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 28 certified H-1B filings in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes South San Francisco, Berkeley, San Mateo, San Leandro, Oakland.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $105,086 |
| 25th | $121,276 |
| 50th (median) | $135,129 |
| 75th | $166,230 |
| 90th | $190,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $132,605 | $112,875 | $139,481 | 12 |
| FY2021 | $135,221 | $120,100 | $142,500 | 15 |
| FY2022 | – | – | – | 7 |
| FY2023 | $148,000 | $139,730 | $163,700 | 11 |
| FY2024 | $152,000 | $137,685 | $166,905 | 15 |
| FY2025 | $126,500 | $116,610 | $163,436 | 16 |
| FY2026 | $143,879 | $130,750 | $166,230 | 12 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median Aerospace Engineer salary of $135,129 is worth about $116,900 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Francisco = 115.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Aerospace Engineers in the San Francisco, CA area earned a median of $191,260 in May 2025 (510 employed). The H-1B median here is $135,129, 29% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Zipline International | too few | 8 |
| Grid Aero | too few | 2 |
| Joby Aero | too few | 2 |
| Loft Orbital Solutions | too few | 2 |
| Planet Labs PBC | too few | 2 |
| Skydio | too few | 2 |
| University of California, Berkeley | too few | 2 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | too few | 4 |
| Mid-level · Level II | too few | 6 |
| Senior · Level III | too few | 3 |
| Expert · Level IV | – | 0 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.