Computer Vision Engineer Salary in San Francisco

Autonomous vehicle and robotics companies pay the highest CV engineer salaries, typically 15 to 25% above general tech companies. Medical imaging AI is a close second, particularly at companies seeking FDA approved diagnostic tools. Defense and satellite imagery analysis also offer premium compensation, especially with security clearances.

Real time inference and edge deployment skills can add 15 to 20% to your compensation. Many high value CV applications require sub 100ms processing on resource constrained hardware. Engineers who can optimize models for TensorRT, ONNX, or custom silicon are significantly more valuable than those working only in research environments.

Computer Vision Engineers in San Francisco earn between $182,000 and $317,000 in 2026. The median salary is $243,000. Compensation varies based on experience level, company size, specific skills, and whether the position includes equity, bonuses, or other benefits.

Start by understanding the market range: $182,000 to $317,000 for Computer Vision Engineers in San Francisco. Research the specific company, prepare data points about your experience, and consider total compensation including equity, bonuses, and benefits. Orbit's Salary Playbook provides personalized negotiation strategies based on your specific offer.

The median Computer Vision Engineer salary of $243,000 in San Francisco reflects the local cost of living and demand for talent. To see how this compares to the national average and other cities, use Orbit's salary explorer which provides side by side comparisons across markets.