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How much does an economist make in San Diego?

$122,800a year

Median yearly pay for economists in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area. That is $59.01 an hour or $10,230 a month.

Hourly
$59.01
Vs. national median
-2%
Rank among cities
17 of 62
Jobs in the area
50
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $87,110Median: $122,800Highest 10%: $278,100
PercentileYearlyHourly
10th$87,110$41.88
25th$104,600$50.29
Median$122,800$59.01
75th$179,700$86.37
90th$278,100$133.70

Other cities in California

Median yearly pay for economists.

Los Angeles, CA$151,500
San Francisco, CA$142,400
Sacramento, CA$100,400
Economist salary in California Economist salary in all states

Related jobs in San Diego

Same field, median yearly pay.

Physicist$156,500
Psychologist$148,800
Physical Scientist$132,400
School Psychologist$131,100
Medical Scientist$131,000
Epidemiologist$125,300
Biochemist and Biophysicist$121,700
Atmospheric and Space Scientist$120,400
Microbiologist$108,900
Biological Scientist$108,400
Salaries for every job in San Diego, CA

Frequently asked questions

How much does an economist make an hour in San Diego?

The median hourly pay in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area is $59.01 ($122,800 a year).

Do economists make more in San Diego than the national average?

No: $122,800 against $124,700 nationally, 2% less.

How does San Diego compare with the rest of California?

The median in California is $119,400, so San Diego pays 3% more.

Where does San Diego rank for economist pay?

17 of 62 metro areas with data.

How much does an economist make starting out in San Diego?

The lowest-paid 10% make $87,110 or less a year; the top 10% make $278,100 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.