salary$130,160 a year$63 an hour · median pay in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA area
Lower pay (bottom 10%)$90,860per year
Top pay (top 10%)$202,730per year
Jobs in the area10,990people work this job
Can a civil engineer afford San Francisco?
OK. Rent of $3,201 a month takes 29.5% of the median civil engineer salary. That is under the 30% rule, so one paycheck covers rent comfortably.
Civil Engineer pay in similar cities
Other jobs in San Francisco
Registered NurseNurse PractitionerLicensed Practical NurseNursing AssistantMedical AssistantPharmacistPhysician AssistantDental HygienistElementary School TeacherSoftware DeveloperComputer Systems AnalystAccountantMarket Research AnalystOperations Manager
Frequently asked questions
How much does a civil engineer make in San Francisco, CA?
The median pay for a civil engineer in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA area is $130,160 a year ($63 an hour). Most earn between $90,860 and $202,730.
Can a civil engineer afford to live in San Francisco?
Typical rent of $3,201 a month takes 29.5% of the median civil engineer salary, which we rate OK.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, for the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area.