Salary report · San Francisco, CA

What is the average Civil Engineer salary in San Francisco, CA?

Civil Engineers in San Francisco earn a median of $136,200 per year — about 42% above the national average. Pay ranges from $98,100 (25th percentile) to $211,100 (90th percentile).

25th percentile
$98,100
Median
$136,200
75th percentile
$174,300
90th percentile
$211,100
YoY change
+3.5%

Civil Engineer salary by experience level

Entry · 0–2 yrs
$88,500
Mid · 3–5 yrs
$136,200
Senior · 6–8 yrs
$174,300
Lead · 8+ yrs
$197,500

How San Francisco pay compares

San Francisco median$136,200
National median$95,890
Cost-of-living adjusted(COL index 244)$55,800

Cost-of-living adjusted is the San Francisco salary translated into equivalent purchasing power vs the US average (COL index 100). Useful for comparing offers across cities.

5-year salary trend

$119K
2022
$123K
2023
$127K
2024
$132K
2025
$136K
2026

Trend extrapolated from BLS May 2024 BLS OEWS OEWS data using the latest year-over-year growth rate of 3.5%.

Civil Engineer job market in San Francisco

San Francisco offers the highest tech salaries in the country but cost of living is brutal — particularly housing. Many roles offer remote/hybrid flexibility.

An estimated 7,600 civil engineers work in the San Francisco metro. Daily responsibilities typically include:

  • Design infrastructure
  • Review construction plans
  • Conduct site inspections
  • Calculate load and stress
  • Prepare cost estimates

Related job salaries in San Francisco

Civil Engineer salary in other cities

FAQ

How much does a Civil Engineer make in San Francisco, CA?+

Civil Engineers in San Francisco earn a median of $136,200 per year — about 42% above the national average of $95,890.

What's the entry-level Civil Engineer salary in San Francisco?+

Entry-level Civil Engineers in San Francisco typically earn around $88,500 per year. Salaries scale to about $197,500 at the senior level with 8+ years of experience.

Is $136,200 a good Civil Engineer salary in San Francisco?+

$136,200 is the median, meaning half of Civil Engineers in San Francisco earn more and half earn less. Adjusted for the city's cost-of-living index of 244, that's roughly $55,800 in nationally-equivalent purchasing power.

How fast is Civil Engineer pay growing in San Francisco?+

Civil Engineer salaries in San Francisco grew about 3.5% year-over-year in the latest BLS data. The 10-year national outlook for this role is +5%.

Where do Civil Engineers in San Francisco get paid the most?+

The 90th percentile Civil Engineer salary in San Francisco is around $211,100. These typically include senior, lead, or specialist roles at major employers.

Are you being paid fairly in San Francisco?

Run a free comparison against BLS data — see if your salary is below, at, or above the San Francisco median.

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