Mid-level Industrial Designer salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 37 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level II in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Fremont, San Mateo, Newark, Redwood City, Livermore.
Also listed as: Technical Designer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $90,563 |
| 25th | $90,938 |
| 50th (median) | $95,000 |
| 75th | $119,000 |
| 90th | $159,800 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $75,300 | $66,560 | $101,625 | 32 |
| FY2021 | $78,562 | $73,300 | $100,360 | 24 |
| FY2022 | $89,500 | $80,980 | $131,250 | 40 |
| FY2023 | $100,029 | $86,000 | $130,000 | 22 |
| FY2024 | $118,600 | $100,000 | $135,100 | 21 |
| FY2025 | $94,000 | $90,938 | $102,000 | 21 |
| FY2026 | $112,819 | $93,750 | $120,000 | 16 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median mid-level Industrial Designer salary of $95,000 is worth about $82,200 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Francisco = 115.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Commercial and Industrial Designers in the San Francisco, CA area earned a median of $104,000 in May 2025 (1,250 employed). The H-1B median here is $95,000, 9% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| L&T Technology Services | too few | 4 |
| Tata Technologies | too few | 4 |
| M. Arthur Gensler Jr. & Associates | too few | 3 |
| Microsoft | too few | 3 |
| Bould Design | too few | 2 |
| Sony Interactive Entertainment | too few | 2 |
| Tempus AI | too few | 2 |
| Whipsaw | 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 | $73,900 | 14 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $95,000 | 37 |
| Senior · Level III | $168,000 | 21 |
| Expert · Level IV | $164,286 | 42 |
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 | $67,434 | $73,900 | 14 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $90,938 | $95,000 | 37 |
| Senior · Level III | $114,442 | $168,000 | 21 |
| Expert · Level IV | $129,771 | $164,286 | 42 |
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.