Mechanical Engineer (R&D) salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 20 certified H-1B filings in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Menlo Park, Berkeley.
Also listed as: Researcher Iii Mechanical Engineering
Median salary$116,000
Middle 50%$81.8k–$143.8k
vs. national median+29%comparison median $90,063
Filings20FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years
Salary range
National median
$25k$50k$75k$100k$125k$150k$175k$200k
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $74,411 |
| 25th | $81,823 |
| 50th (median) | $116,000 |
| 75th | $143,750 |
| 90th | $156,127 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median Mechanical Engineer (R&D) salary of $116,000 is worth about $100,300 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Francisco = 115.6).
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Leland Stanford Jr. Univ/SLAC National Accelerator Lab | $130,000 | 14 |
| University of California, Berkeley | too few | 6 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | – | 0 |
| Mid-level · Level II | too few | 5 |
| Senior · Level III | too few | 8 |
| Expert · Level IV | – | 0 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.