San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA · CBSA 41860
Mechanical Engineer Salary in San Francisco
VerifiedPublished metro-area wages for mechanical engineers in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA, from the BLS OEWS May 2024 release — with the local distribution set against California and the national benchmark.
Mechanical Engineers in San Francisco earn a median of $145,640 per year, per BLS OEWS May 2024. The middle 50% earn $121,510–$177,430; the top 10% earn $207,610. That is 42% above the national median and 15% above the California median. BLS reports 4,670 employed locally.
Median wage
Verified$145,640
+42% vs national
Top 10% earn
$207,610
90th percentile
Employed in metro
4,670
Reliability Good (7.7% RSE)
Mechanical Engineer pay — San Francisco vs California vs national
All three distributions are published BLS percentiles on a single shared scale.
| Percentile | Annual wage | vs national |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentileentry / low | $97,070 | +41% |
| 25th percentile | $121,510 | +49% |
| Median50th percentile | $145,640 | +42% |
| 75th percentile | $177,430 | +36% |
| 90th percentiletop earners | $207,610 | +29% |
| Meanaverage | $150,900 | +37% |
How concentrated mechanical engineers are in San Francisco
Location quotient compares local concentration to the national rate. Above 1.00 means this metro employs the occupation more densely than the country overall.
Location quotient
1.04
Jobs per 1,000
1.94
Metro rank (pay)
#2 of 342
All engineering roles
$165,321
San Francisco employs mechanical engineers at close to the national rate (location quotient 1.04).
Frequently asked questions
How much does a mechanical engineer make in San Francisco?
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Where does San Francisco rank nationally for mechanical engineers?
Source details
Published wage from BLS OEWS May 2024 for SOC 17-2141 (Mechanical Engineers), San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA (metro area).
Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →