Lead Process Engineer Salary in Hercules, CA

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

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Lead Process Engineer in Hercules, CA is $209,330 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $101.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $230,531
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $193,241 to $220,427
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $178,592
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View as table View as graph 25% $193,241 10% $178,592 90% $230,531 75% $220,427 $209,330 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Lead Process Engineer Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $220,427 $18,369 $4,239 $106
Average $209,330 $17,444 $4,026 $101
25th Percentile $193,241 $16,103 $3,716 $93
Check out Lead Process Engineer Job Openings in Hercules, CA
Senior Program Manager Brand&amp Corporate Initiatives

Bio-Rad Laboratories - Hercules, CA

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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): $125,222
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $153,065
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $133,535
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $162,172
  • Expert (over 8 years): $208,514
Levels Salary
Process E... Level Lead Process Engineer$125,222
Process E... Level Lead Process Engineer$153,065
Process E... Level Lead Process Engineer$133,535
Process E... Level Lead Process Engineer$162,172
Lead Proc... Level Lead Process Engineer$208,514
$125,222 0 yr
$153,065 < 2 yrs
$133,535 2-4 yrs
$162,172 5-8 yrs
$208,514 > 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
$347,488
66%
Financial Services Industry
$261,663
25%
Microbiology
$228,170
9%
Cell Culture
$228,170
9%
Partnering
$223,983
7%
Business Process Management
$223,983
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$251,196$121.020%
Chemicals$230,263$111.010%

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
  • Domino's Pizza LLC

    Hercules, CA

    Domino's Pizza LLC | Hercules, CA

    Company DescriptionNo one likes being bored at work, which is why a Domino's job is all about having fun. We live to beat the rush and make it possible to ... more

    4 Days Ago

  • Bio-Rad Laboratories

    Hercules, CA

    Bio-Rad Laboratories | Hercules, CA

    Bio-Rad is looking for an experienced Senior Stock Administrator to join the Finance team. Reporting to our Senior Director of Accounting Operations, you w... more

    4 Days Ago

  • Pacific BioLabs

    Hercules, CA

    Pacific BioLabs | Hercules, CA

    Job TypeFull-timeDescriptionPacific BioLabs is an independent CRO providing cGMP/GLP testing in toxicology, biocompatibility, pharmacology, analytical chem... more

    4 Days Ago

  • Naia

    Hercules, CA

    Naia | Hercules, CA

    Naia is hiring production staff for our ice cream and gelato kitchen in Hercules.Shifts are generally 40hrs per week with occasional overtime.Join us and h... more

    5 Days Ago

  • Syntricate Technologies

    Hercules, CA

    Syntricate Technologies | Hercules, CA

    Senior Software Engineer. Location: Hercules, CA. We are looking for a highly skilled Software Developer to join our dynamic Scrum team working on the next... more

    6 Days Ago

  • Albertsons Company

    Hercules, CA

    Albertsons Company | Hercules, CA

    Meat & Seafood Clerk. A Day in the Life: As a Meat & Seafood Clerk, you'll be hands-on with fresh proteinspreparing, packaging, and displaying meat and sea... more

    7 Days Ago

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Cost of Living In Hercules, CA

Cost of Living in Hercules, CA is
32.0% Higher
than the National Average

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