Expert Chemical Engineer salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 28 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Fremont, Berkeley, Alameda, San Leandro, Emeryville.
Also listed as: Process Engineer
Median salary$161,000
Middle 50%$150.4k–$173.1k
vs. all levels here+24%comparison median $130,000
Filings28FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years
Salary range
All levels here
$120k$130k$140k$150k$160k$170k$180k$190k$200k$210k
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $147,410 |
| 25th | $150,350 |
| 50th (median) | $161,000 |
| 75th | $173,132 |
| 90th | $190,470 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $138,250 | $132,829 | $158,750 | 12 |
| FY2021 | $120,078 | $118,706 | $134,243 | 15 |
| FY2022 | $136,323 | $120,078 | $155,516 | 31 |
| FY2023 | $155,053 | $148,000 | $166,790 | 12 |
| FY2024 | $147,410 | $128,363 | $161,524 | 23 |
| FY2025 | $162,344 | $147,455 | $173,685 | 15 |
| FY2026 | $160,000 | $150,467 | $170,000 | 13 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median expert Chemical Engineer salary of $161,000 is worth about $139,300 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Francisco = 115.6).
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Western Digital Technologies | too few | 3 |
| Bayer HealthCare | too few | 2 |
| Lam Research | too few | 2 |
| Nitricity | too few | 2 |
| Quino Energy | 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 | 2 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $109,574 | 24 |
| Senior · Level III | $146,700 | 21 |
| Expert · Level IV | $161,000 | 28 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mid-level · Level II | $105,955 | $109,574 | 24 |
| Senior · Level III | $128,211 | $146,700 | 21 |
| Expert · Level IV | $150,467 | $161,000 | 28 |
The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.