Entry-level Electrical Engineer salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 70 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Fremont, Newark, Foster City, Menlo Park, Oakland.
Also listed as: Electrical Design Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $99,445 |
| 25th | $99,445 |
| 50th (median) | $107,182 |
| 75th | $119,999 |
| 90th | $130,113 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $78,000 | $75,150 | $82,722 | 40 |
| FY2021 | $85,858 | $80,305 | $96,500 | 44 |
| FY2022 | $83,200 | $81,702 | $101,774 | 37 |
| FY2023 | $93,267 | $85,821 | $99,896 | 48 |
| FY2024 | $105,300 | $98,334 | $120,000 | 40 |
| FY2025 | $102,190 | $99,445 | $119,995 | 45 |
| FY2026 | $110,000 | $107,182 | $120,000 | 25 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median entry-level Electrical Engineer salary of $107,182 is worth about $92,700 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Francisco = 115.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Electrical Engineers in the San Francisco, CA area earned a median of $166,030 in May 2025 (2,470 employed). The H-1B median here is $107,182, 35% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Bizlink Technology | too few | 3 |
| CPS Trading | too few | 3 |
| Lam Research | too few | 3 |
| Veteran Pipeline Construction | too few | 3 |
| Siemens | too few | 2 |
| Black & Veatch | too few | 2 |
| Fortune Brands Innovations Group | too few | 2 |
| Intertek Testing Services | too few | 2 |
| Pentangle Tech Services | too few | 2 |
| Pyka | 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 | $107,182 | 70 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $135,000 | 125 |
| Senior · Level III | $162,406 | 118 |
| Expert · Level IV | $187,803 | 112 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $99,445 | $107,182 | 70 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $124,842 | $135,000 | 125 |
| Senior · Level III | $160,930 | $162,406 | 118 |
| Expert · Level IV | $187,803 | $187,803 | 112 |
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.