Lead Process Engineer Salary in Fremont, CA

How much does a Lead Process Engineer make in Fremont, CA?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Lead Process Engineer in Fremont, CA is $222,145 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $107.

However, a Lead Process Engineer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $244,643
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $205,071 to $233,921
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $189,525
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View as table View as graph 25% $205,071 10% $189,525 90% $244,643 75% $233,921 $222,145 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Lead Process Engineer Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $233,921 $19,493 $4,498 $112
Average $222,145 $18,512 $4,272 $107
25th Percentile $205,071 $17,089 $3,944 $99
Check out Lead Process Engineer Job Openings in Fremont, CA
Sustaining Process Engineer

Velo3D - Fremont, CA

Quality DFC NPI Process Engineer

Specialized Coating Services - Fremont, CA

Member of Technical Staff Epi Process Development Engineer

KYOCERA SLD Laser, Inc - Fremont, CA

Lead Engineer Embedded Software

THINK Surgical, Inc. - Fremont, CA

Search More Lead Process Engineer Jobs in Fremont, CA

Key Factors That Influence Lead Process Engineer Salaries

A Lead Process Engineer's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, skills and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Lead Process Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Lead Process Engineer's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here’s how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $132,888
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $162,435
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $141,710
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $172,100
  • Expert (over 8 years): $221,279
Levels Salary
Process E... Level Lead Process Engineer$132,888
Process E... Level Lead Process Engineer$162,435
Process E... Level Lead Process Engineer$141,710
Process E... Level Lead Process Engineer$172,100
Lead Proc... Level Lead Process Engineer$221,279
$132,888 0 yr
$162,435 < 2 yrs
$141,710 2-4 yrs
$172,100 5-8 yrs
$221,279 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Lead Process Engineers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $231,334
  • San Francisco: $228,801
  • Oakland: $223,979

What Skills Can Increase a Lead Process Engineer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Initiative (Mentioned in 8.24% Job Postings): Taking decisive action and initiating plans independently to address problems, improve professional life, and achieve goals.
  • Chemical Engineering (Mentioned in 2.59% Job Postings): Chemical engineering is a branch of engineering that uses principles of chemistry, physics, mathematics, biology, and economics to efficiently use, produce, design, transport and transform energy and materials. The work of chemical engineers can range from the utilisation of nano-technology and nano-materials in the laboratory to large-scale industrial processes that convert chemicals, raw materials, living cells, microorganisms, and energy into useful forms and products. Chemical engineers are involved in many aspects of plant design and operation, including safety and hazard assessments, process design and analysis, modeling, control engineering, chemical reaction engineering, nuclear engineering, biological engineering, construction specification, and operating instructions. Chemical engineers typically hold a degree in Chemical Engineering or Process Engineering. Practising engineers may have professional certification and be accredited members of a professional body. Such bodies include the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) or the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE). A degree in chemical engineering is directly linked with all of the other engineering disciplines, to various extents.
  • Agile (Mentioned in 1.41% Job Postings): Agile is a development process where feedback is continuously gathered from users to create the best user experience.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Initiative 8.24%
Chemical Engineering 2.59%
Agile 1.41%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Lead Process Engineer's salary.
  • Actuarial Science: Can increase your salary by up to 66%.
  • Financial Services Industry: Can increase your salary by up to 25%.
  • Microbiology: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Actuarial Science
$368,761
66%
Financial Services Industry
$277,681
25%
Microbiology
$242,138
9%
Cell Culture
$242,138
9%
Partnering
$237,695
7%
Business Process Management
$237,695
7%
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Lead Process Engineer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Lead Process Engineer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Construction and Chemicals sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Lead Process Engineer positions in Aerospace & Defense or Biotechnology typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Lead Process Engineer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Lead Process Engineer

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Construction$266,574$128.020%
Chemicals$244,359$117.010%

Lead Process Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Lead Process Engineer's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on August 01, 2026

Find Your Next Lead Process Engineer Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Lead Process Engineer job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
  • GL Global

    Fremont, CA

    GL Global | Fremont, CA

    Lead CQV Engineer - Pharmaceutical Manufacturing - Major CAPEX Projects. A global pharmaceutical manufacturer is looking for an experienced Lead CQV Engine... more

    5 Days Ago

  • ISAT Total Support

    Fremont, CA

    ISAT Total Support | Fremont, CA

    Job Description. Job Description. Join Our Team as a Lead Design Engineer (P.E). At Tomarco Contractor Specialties LLP/ ISAT Total Support, our employees a... more

    5 Days Ago

  • The Hiring Method, LLC

    Fremont, CA

    The Hiring Method, LLC | Fremont, CA

    Job Description. Job Description. Location. Fremont, CA. Work Setting. 100% Onsite R&D and Semiconductor Development Environment. Compensation. $100,625 – ... more

    6 Days Ago

  • Staffing the Universe

    Fremont, CA

    Staffing the Universe | Fremont, CA

    Enterprise Architect Or Lead Engineer/Security/Governance/Banking Location:Hybrid In Midtown, NYC (Local)Role:Enterprise Architect or Lead Engineer/Securit... more

    6 Days Ago

  • Fremont Urgent Care Center

    Fremont, CA

    Fremont Urgent Care Center | Fremont, CA

    Urgent Care Physician WantedWe are an urgent care in Fremont, in operation since 1984. We are seeking an amiable, conscientious physician who is experience... more

    2 Days Ago

  • Delta Electronics Americas

    Fremont, CA

    Delta Electronics Americas | Fremont, CA

    Key Account Manager Networking. Company and Sales Division profile. Delta Electronics Americas, Ltd is the HQ of Americas Region, focusing on providing pow... more

    2 Days Ago

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