Mid-level Chemical Engineer salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 24 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level II 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$109,574
Middle 50%$109.6k–$120.3k
vs. all levels here−16%comparison median $130,000
Filings24FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years
Salary range
All levels here
$90k$100k$110k$120k$130k$140k$150k$160k
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $105,995 |
| 25th | $109,574 |
| 50th (median) | $109,574 |
| 75th | $120,256 |
| 90th | $142,360 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $106,650 | $98,160 | $110,000 | 16 |
| FY2021 | $95,000 | $94,141 | $110,750 | 14 |
| FY2022 | $100,000 | $96,387 | $120,000 | 17 |
| FY2023 | $108,000 | $97,094 | $113,000 | 11 |
| FY2024 | $101,962 | $101,962 | $114,981 | 11 |
| FY2025 | $109,574 | $109,574 | $122,125 | 16 |
| FY2026 | – | – | – | 8 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median mid-level Chemical Engineer salary of $109,574 is worth about $94,800 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 | 5 |
| Anthro Energy | too few | 3 |
| Bionova Scientific | too few | 2 |
| EKC Technology | too few | 2 |
| Sila Nanotechnologies | too few | 2 |
| Tesla | 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.