Senior Chemical Engineer salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 21 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III 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$146,700
Middle 50%$130k–$163k
vs. all levels here+13%comparison median $130,000
Filings21FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years
Salary range
All levels here
$110k$120k$130k$140k$150k$160k$170k$180k$190k$200k
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $128,892 |
| 25th | $130,000 |
| 50th (median) | $146,700 |
| 75th | $163,010 |
| 90th | $187,243 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 7 |
| FY2021 | $116,251 | $109,179 | $127,583 | 14 |
| FY2022 | $115,690 | $107,723 | $120,000 | 23 |
| FY2023 | $131,872 | $124,740 | $145,000 | 13 |
| FY2024 | $128,482 | $114,600 | $137,691 | 18 |
| FY2025 | $153,672 | $131,550 | $162,844 | 10 |
| FY2026 | $146,700 | $129,500 | $163,500 | 11 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median senior Chemical Engineer salary of $146,700 is worth about $126,900 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Tesla | too few | 3 |
| Western Digital Technologies | too few | 3 |
| Ammobia | 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.