Civil Engineers salary in San Francisco, CA
Median pay for civil engineers in San Francisco, CA: $122,670/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $81,210 – $176,310 · about 8,310 employed locally
Above the typical metro median ($88,630) by +$34,040 (+38%).
What it's really worth in San Francisco
With San Francisco's cost of living at 118 (US=100), that $122,670 has the buying power of about $104,355 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $129,315 · median home $1,149,215 · median rent $3,258/mo.
How San Francisco ranks for this job
On raw pay, San Francisco, CA is 2nd of the 187 metros we hold civil engineers wages for. Once San Francisco's cost of living is applied, it ranks 22nd.
The headline number flatters San Francisco. Once housing and everyday costs are taken into account, civil engineers here keep less of what they earn than the raw salary implies.
What that salary buys in San Francisco
A median home in San Francisco, CA costs $1,149,215 — about 9.4× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is harder here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $3,258/mo works out at 32% of gross pay — above the conventional 30% affordability ceiling, so renting would stretch this salary.
Where civil engineers earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to San Francisco.
| Metro | Median pay | vs San Francisco | Rent vs San Francisco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sacramento, CA | $125,760 | +3% | 0.7× |
| San Jose, CA | $119,430 | −3% | 1.1× |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $110,110 | −10% | 0.4× |
| Fresno, CA | $108,570 | −11% | 0.6× |
Same job elsewhere in CA
| Metro | Median pay | vs San Francisco | Rent vs San Francisco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sacramento, CA | $125,760 | +3% | 0.7× |
| San Jose, CA | $119,430 | −3% | 1.1× |
| Fresno, CA | $108,570 | −11% | 0.6× |
| Salinas, CA | $106,850 | −13% | 0.9× |
Staying in CA keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires civil engineers around San Francisco
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- City and County of San Francisco · Government
Other jobs in San Francisco
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 187 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.