Mechanical Engineer salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 1,062 certified H-1B filings in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Fremont, Newark, Foster City, Menlo Park, Livermore.
Also listed as: Mechanical Design Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $113,116 |
| 25th | $126,131 |
| 50th (median) | $149,068 |
| 75th | $171,780 |
| 90th | $187,373 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $117,770 | $98,779 | $139,000 | 402 |
| FY2021 | $124,000 | $105,000 | $143,374 | 529 |
| FY2022 | $125,757 | $106,080 | $145,000 | 610 |
| FY2023 | $130,000 | $106,080 | $150,000 | 509 |
| FY2024 | $140,000 | $118,810 | $160,077 | 563 |
| FY2025 | $142,854 | $125,250 | $166,878 | 635 |
| FY2026 | $150,654 | $126,131 | $175,157 | 427 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median Mechanical Engineer salary of $149,068 is worth about $128,900 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Francisco = 115.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Mechanical Engineers in the San Francisco, CA area earned a median of $161,370 in May 2025 (5,150 employed). The H-1B median here is $149,068, 8% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Lucid Motors | $142,854 | 238 |
| Tesla | $153,919 | 208 |
| Zoox | $173,079 | 60 |
| Lam Research | $142,854 | 28 |
| Meta | $213,291 | 19 |
| Zipline International | $170,000 | 17 |
| Mainspring Energy | $118,810 | 13 |
| Joby Aero | too few | 9 |
| 1X Technologies | too few | 8 |
| Alten Technology | too few | 8 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $102,000 | 121 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $127,000 | 323 |
| Senior · Level III | $150,654 | 287 |
| Expert · Level IV | $175,671 | 261 |
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 | $101,629 | $102,000 | 121 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $118,810 | $127,000 | 323 |
| Senior · Level III | $142,854 | $150,654 | 287 |
| Expert · Level IV | $175,157 | $175,671 | 261 |
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.