Industrial designer pay in San Francisco, CA
Industrial designers in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area earn a typical $104,000 a year. The middle half earn $79,520 to $116,890, and the top 10% earn more than $163,010. About 1,250 people do this job there.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (occupation: Commercial and Industrial Designers, SOC 27-1021).
Pay range
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $73,610 |
| 25th percentile | $79,520 |
| Median (typical) | $104,000 |
| 75th percentile | $116,890 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $163,010 |
Typical pay here ranks No. 5 of 48 large metros for industrial designers before taxes and prices.
After taxes and cost of living
At the typical $104,000, a single filer keeps about $76,600 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 $66,200 would in a typical US city. That ranks San Francisco No. 20 of 48 large metros for industrial designers after cost of living.
Where industrial designers’ pay goes furthest
- San Jose, CA$141,310 typical · worth $89.6k
- Austin, TX$100,520 typical · worth $81.1k
- Chicago, IL$112,950 typical · worth $80k
- Detroit, MI$108,180 typical · worth $77.8k
All 48 metros for industrial designers →
Where does your salary land?
Add your salary and experience to see your percentile among industrial designers in San Francisco. Free and private. (Different city? Use the main checker.) 2 employers 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 industrial designer make in San Francisco, CA?
The typical (median) industrial designer in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area earns $104,000 a year. The middle half earn between $79,520 and $116,890, and the top 10% earn more than $163,010. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
What is a good salary for a industrial designer in San Francisco?
Anything above $104,000 pays more than half of industrial designers in San Francisco. $116,890 or more puts you in the top quarter, and $163,010 in the top 10%. Experience and employer move where you should be in that range.
How much does a industrial designer in San Francisco take home after taxes?
At the typical $104,000, a single filer keeps about $76,600 a year ($6,380 a month) after federal, Social Security, Medicare, California state income tax. With local prices 16% above the US average, that buys what $66,200 would in a typical US city.
Where do industrial designers get paid the most after cost of living?
Among the 48 largest US metros, typical industrial designer pay goes furthest after taxes and prices in San Jose, CA, Austin, TX, Chicago, IL. San Francisco, CA ranks No. 20.
More: Industrial designer pay in every large metro · Pay for other jobs in San Francisco, CA
Local prices: BEA regional price parities, 2024. Updated November 2026.