Entry-level Engineering Professor salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 10 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Berkeley, Oakland.
Also listed as: Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Assistant Professor of Engineering
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $135,690 |
| 25th | $135,775 |
| 50th (median) | $140,000 |
| 75th | $143,350 |
| 90th | $147,710 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median entry-level Engineering Professor salary of $140,000 is worth about $121,100 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Francisco = 115.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary in the San Francisco, CA area earned a median of $175,200 in May 2025 (230 employed). The H-1B median here is $140,000, 20% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| University of California, Berkeley | too few | 9 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $140,000 | 10 |
| Mid-level · Level II | – | 0 |
| Senior · Level III | – | 0 |
| Expert · Level IV | – | 0 |
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 | $89,730 | $140,000 | 10 |
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.