Aerospace Engineer Salary in San Francisco, CA
Aerospace Engineers in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area earn a median $191,260 a year — 42% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $126,367 take-home, or $10,531 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median aerospace engineer salary in San Francisco, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$34,636
- Social Security (6.2%)$11,439
- Medicare (1.45%)$2,773
- California income tax$13,558
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$2,486
- Take-home pay$126,367
Marginal rate: 24% federal + 9.30% state
Aerospace Engineer pay by experience in San Francisco, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $117,060 | $56.28 | $83,003 | $6,917 |
| 25th percentile | $147,970 | $71.14 | $100,948 | $8,412 |
| Median (50th) | $191,260 | $91.95 | $126,367 | $10,531 |
| 75th percentile | $206,930 | $99.49 | $136,326 | $11,360 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $273,230+ | $131.36 | $173,673 | $14,473 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $191,260 buys in San Francisco, CA
Prices in San Francisco, CA are 15.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.95× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median aerospace engineer's $126,367 take-home pay has the buying power of $109,302 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Aerospace Engineer jobs are less concentrated in San Francisco, CA than nationally (location quotient 0.49), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for aerospace engineers, adjusted for cost of living
San Francisco, CA ranks #5 of 28 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boulder, CO | $167,160 | $118,873 | $112,995 |
| 2 | Cleveland, OH | $143,020 | $105,869 | $112,719 |
| 3 | Baltimore, MD | $166,980 | $117,563 | $112,515 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $163,580 | $123,073 | $110,744 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $191,260 | $126,367 | $109,302 |
| 6 | San Jose, CA | $181,630 | $120,387 | $109,023 |
| 7 | Colorado Springs, CO | $151,980 | $109,166 | $108,399 |
| 8 | Wichita, KS | $130,720 | $94,119 | $105,815 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 28 metros →
Aerospace Engineer salaries elsewhere in California
- San Jose, CA — $181,630
- Los Angeles, CA — $163,280
- Bakersfield, CA — $128,720
- San Diego, CA — $135,010
Frequently asked questions
How much does a aerospace engineer make in San Francisco, CA?
The median aerospace engineer salary in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area is $191,260 a year, or about $91.95 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $147,970 and $206,930.
What is a aerospace engineer’s take-home pay in San Francisco, CA?
On the median $191,260 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $126,367 a year ($10,531 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $16,044 in California taxes in 2026.
Is San Francisco, CA a good place to work as a aerospace engineer?
Pay here is 42% above the national median of $134,960. Local prices are 15.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $109,302 would in a typical U.S. city. San Francisco, CA ranks #5 of 28 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a aerospace engineer afford rent in San Francisco, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in San Francisco, CA is $2,620 a month ($3,187 for two bedrooms) — 25% of a median aerospace engineer’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in San Francisco, CA
- Computer Hardware Engineer — $203,890
- Electrical Engineer — $166,030
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer — $162,440
- Mechanical Engineer — $161,370
- Engineers, All Other — $159,800
- Bioengineer and Biomedical Engineer — $140,660
- Environmental Engineer — $138,840
- Industrial Engineer — $132,230
- Civil Engineer — $130,160
- Architects, Except Landscape and Naval — $126,550
- Surveyor — $125,060
- Landscape Architect — $119,730