Entry-level Industrial Engineer salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 168 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, Hayward, Menlo Park.
Also listed as: Manufacturing Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $90,251 |
| 25th | $92,976 |
| 50th (median) | $98,494 |
| 75th | $112,070 |
| 90th | $129,532 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $75,000 | $74,048 | $85,000 | 45 |
| FY2021 | $74,776 | $74,090 | $83,416 | 36 |
| FY2022 | $84,350 | $74,950 | $90,000 | 32 |
| FY2023 | $88,629 | $79,851 | $96,998 | 55 |
| FY2024 | $95,366 | $88,629 | $104,000 | 68 |
| FY2025 | $94,682 | $90,251 | $109,783 | 91 |
| FY2026 | $100,000 | $95,000 | $113,740 | 77 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median entry-level Industrial Engineer salary of $98,494 is worth about $85,200 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Francisco = 115.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Industrial Engineers in the San Francisco, CA area earned a median of $132,230 in May 2025 (5,470 employed). The H-1B median here is $98,494, 26% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Tesla | $109,567 | 33 |
| Meta | $140,223 | 11 |
| Penumbra | too few | 7 |
| VAStek | too few | 6 |
| Therm-x of California | too few | 4 |
| Aplomb Technologies | too few | 3 |
| Commex | too few | 3 |
| Mitac Information Systems | too few | 3 |
| Peak Energy Technologies | too few | 3 |
| Sandisk Technologies | too few | 3 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $98,494 | 168 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $127,511 | 341 |
| Senior · Level III | $146,125 | 319 |
| Expert · Level IV | $163,634 | 265 |
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 | $94,682 | $98,494 | 168 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $117,458 | $127,511 | 341 |
| Senior · Level III | $133,910 | $146,125 | 319 |
| Expert · Level IV | $163,030 | $163,634 | 265 |
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.