Mid-level Materials Engineer salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 44 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level II in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Fremont, San Leandro, Menlo Park, Livermore, Berkeley.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $116,168 |
| 25th | $116,355 |
| 50th (median) | $118,419 |
| 75th | $131,930 |
| 90th | $151,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 9 |
| FY2021 | – | – | – | 9 |
| FY2022 | $95,743 | $91,692 | $101,250 | 16 |
| FY2023 | – | – | – | 9 |
| FY2024 | $103,334 | $97,614 | $121,316 | 15 |
| FY2025 | $117,918 | $116,168 | $121,193 | 16 |
| FY2026 | $118,679 | $116,355 | $132,600 | 28 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median mid-level Materials Engineer salary of $118,419 is worth about $102,400 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Francisco = 115.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Materials Engineers in the San Francisco, CA area earned a median of $129,480 in May 2025 (340 employed). The H-1B median here is $118,419, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Lam Research | $116,355 | 13 |
| Western Digital Technologies | too few | 6 |
| Coreshell Technologies | too few | 4 |
| Sila Nanotechnologies | too few | 4 |
| Leland Stanford Jr. Univ/SLAC National Accelerator Lab | too few | 3 |
| Nova Measuring Instruments | 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 | $96,498 | 18 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $118,419 | 44 |
| Senior · Level III | $138,258 | 111 |
| Expert · Level IV | $160,139 | 55 |
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 | $95,243 | $96,498 | 18 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $116,355 | $118,419 | 44 |
| Senior · Level III | $138,258 | $138,258 | 111 |
| Expert · Level IV | $158,018 | $160,139 | 55 |
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.