How much does a captain make in San Diego?
$76,490a year
Median yearly pay for captains in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area. That is $36.77 an hour or $6,374 a month.
- Hourly
- $36.77
- Vs. national median
- -17%
- Rank among cities
- 45 of 75
- Jobs in the area
- 290
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $49,680Median: $76,490Highest 10%: $125,700
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $49,680 | $23.88 | |
| 25th | $57,350 | $27.57 | |
| Median | $76,490 | $36.77 | |
| 75th | $109,700 | $52.73 | |
| 90th | $125,700 | $60.43 |
Other cities in California
Median yearly pay for captains.
| San Francisco, CA | $124,600 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $113,300 |
| Oxnard, CA | $80,100 |
| Sacramento, CA | $78,380 |
Related jobs in San Diego
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Airline Pilot | $322,000 |
| Commercial Pilot | $128,100 |
| Ship Engineer | $85,310 |
| Traffic Technician | $85,100 |
| Transportation Inspector | $83,000 |
| Crane and Tower Operator | $79,720 |
| Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisor | $74,590 |
| Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector | $69,300 |
| Airfield Operations Specialist | $63,550 |
| Bus Driver | $61,290 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a captain make an hour in San Diego?
The median hourly pay in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area is $36.77 ($76,490 a year).
Do captains make more in San Diego than the national average?
No: $76,490 against $92,460 nationally, 17% less.
How does San Diego compare with the rest of California?
The median in California is $110,100, so San Diego pays 31% less.
Where does San Diego rank for captain pay?
45 of 75 metro areas with data.
How much does a captain make starting out in San Diego?
The lowest-paid 10% make $49,680 or less a year; the top 10% make $125,700 or more.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.