Civil engineer pay in San Francisco, CA
Civil engineers in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area earn a typical $130,160 a year. The middle half earn $103,030 to $163,150, and the top 10% earn more than $202,730. About 10,990 people do this job there.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (occupation: Civil Engineers, SOC 17-2051).
Pay range
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $90,860 |
| 25th percentile | $103,030 |
| Median (typical) | $130,160 |
| 75th percentile | $163,150 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $202,730 |
Typical pay here ranks No. 2 of 50 large metros for civil engineers before taxes and prices.
After taxes and cost of living
At the typical $130,160, a single filer keeps about $92,400 a year after federal, Social Security, Medicare, and California state income tax. Prices in San Francisco are 16% above the US average, so that take-home buys what $79,900 would in a typical US city. That ranks San Francisco No. 12 of 50 large metros for civil engineers after cost of living.
Where civil engineers’ pay goes furthest
- Sacramento, CA$130,150 typical · worth $86.6k
- San Jose, CA$130,280 typical · worth $83.7k
- Las Vegas, NV$106,110 typical · worth $83.3k
- Memphis, TN$96,100 typical · worth $82.9k
All 50 metros for civil engineers →
Where does your salary land?
Add your salary and experience to see your percentile among civil engineers in San Francisco. Free and private. (Different city? Use the main checker.) 1 employer here filed pay above the typical rate in government filings; your check shows how many pay more than you.
Common questions
How much does a civil engineer make in San Francisco, CA?
The typical (median) civil engineer in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area earns $130,160 a year. The middle half earn between $103,030 and $163,150, and the top 10% earn more than $202,730. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
What is a good salary for a civil engineer in San Francisco?
Anything above $130,160 pays more than half of civil engineers in San Francisco. $163,150 or more puts you in the top quarter, and $202,730 in the top 10%. Experience and employer move where you should be in that range.
How much does a civil engineer in San Francisco take home after taxes?
At the typical $130,160, a single filer keeps about $92,400 a year ($7,700 a month) after federal, Social Security, Medicare, California state income tax. With local prices 16% above the US average, that buys what $79,900 would in a typical US city.
Where do civil engineers get paid the most after cost of living?
Among the 50 largest US metros, typical civil engineer pay goes furthest after taxes and prices in Sacramento, CA, San Jose, CA, Las Vegas, NV. San Francisco, CA ranks No. 12.
More: Civil engineer pay in every large metro · Pay for other jobs in San Francisco, CA
Local prices: BEA regional price parities, 2024. Updated November 2026.