Sales Engineer Salary in San Francisco, CA
Sales Engineers in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area earn a median $151,610 a year — 21% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $103,050 take-home, or $8,588 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median sales engineer salary in San Francisco, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$25,120
- Social Security (6.2%)$9,400
- Medicare (1.45%)$2,198
- California income tax$9,870
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$1,971
- Take-home pay$103,050
Marginal rate: 24% federal + 9.30% state
Sales Engineer pay by experience in San Francisco, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $86,660 | $41.66 | $64,839 | $5,403 |
| 25th percentile | $113,480 | $54.56 | $80,864 | $6,739 |
| Median (50th) | $151,610 | $72.89 | $103,050 | $8,588 |
| 75th percentile | $182,420 | $87.70 | $120,843 | $10,070 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $216,540 | $104.11 | $142,385 | $11,865 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $151,610 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 sales engineer's $103,050 take-home pay has the buying power of $89,134 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Sales Engineer jobs are about as common in San Francisco, CA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.18).
Best-paying cities for sales engineers, adjusted for cost of living
San Francisco, CA ranks #15 of 23 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Austin, TX | $137,960 | $105,562 | $107,643 |
| 2 | San Jose, CA | $177,490 | $117,996 | $106,858 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $153,560 | $116,224 | $104,581 |
| 4 | Houston, TX | $127,800 | $98,617 | $99,988 |
| 5 | Dallas, TX | $133,280 | $102,363 | $99,295 |
| 6 | Washington, DC | $153,410 | $106,050 | $97,398 |
| 7 | Phoenix, AZ | $135,050 | $100,405 | $97,183 |
| 8 | Raleigh, NC | $129,520 | $95,134 | $96,920 |
| 15 | San Francisco, CA | $151,610 | $103,050 | $89,134 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 23 metros →
Sales Engineer salaries elsewhere in California
- San Jose, CA — $177,490
- Los Angeles, CA — $133,380
Frequently asked questions
How much does a sales engineer make in San Francisco, CA?
The median sales engineer salary in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area is $151,610 a year, or about $72.89 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $113,480 and $182,420.
What is a sales engineer’s take-home pay in San Francisco, CA?
On the median $151,610 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $103,050 a year ($8,588 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $11,841 in California taxes in 2026.
Is San Francisco, CA a good place to work as a sales engineer?
Pay here is 21% above the national median of $124,900. Local prices are 15.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $89,134 would in a typical U.S. city. San Francisco, CA ranks #15 of 23 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a sales 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) — 31% of a median sales engineer’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in San Francisco, CA
- Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products — $130,710
- First-Line Supervisor of Non-Retail Sales Workers — $105,130
- Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents — $102,290
- Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel — $96,960
- Insurance Sales Agent — $95,640
- Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products — $93,100
- Advertising Sales Agent — $84,390
- Real Estate Sales Agent — $70,990
- Sales and Related Workers, All Other — $60,050
- First-Line Supervisor of Retail Sales Workers — $58,950
- Travel Agent — $58,000
- Parts Salesperson — $50,030