How much does an engineer make in San Diego?
$132,800a year
Median yearly pay for engineers in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area. That is $63.84 an hour or $11,070 a month.
- Hourly
- $63.84
- Vs. national median
- +8%
- Rank among cities
- 28 of 248
- Jobs in the area
- 3,570
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $77,310Median: $132,800Highest 10%: $195,200
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $77,310 | $37.17 | |
| 25th | $102,800 | $49.43 | |
| Median | $132,800 | $63.84 | |
| 75th | $166,000 | $79.81 | |
| 90th | $195,200 | $93.84 |
Other cities in California
Median yearly pay for engineers.
| San Jose, CA | $169,700 |
| San Francisco, CA | $159,800 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $141,200 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $140,000 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $136,700 |
| Stockton, CA | $127,600 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $125,100 |
| Sacramento, CA | $124,200 |
| Oxnard, CA | $123,000 |
| Fresno, CA | $122,500 |
| Modesto, CA | $111,800 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $104,800 |
| Vallejo, CA | $102,400 |
| Riverside, CA | $100,100 |
| Salinas, CA | $98,950 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $97,210 |
Related jobs in San Diego
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Computer Hardware Engineer | $174,400 |
| Electronics Engineer | $156,500 |
| Aerospace Engineer | $135,000 |
| Bioengineer and Biomedical Engineer | $128,300 |
| Electrical Engineer | $127,300 |
| Health and Safety Engineer | $124,700 |
| Materials Engineer | $124,200 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $121,800 |
| Architect | $120,000 |
| Environmental Engineer | $119,400 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does an engineer make an hour in San Diego?
The median hourly pay in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area is $63.84 ($132,800 a year).
Do engineers make more in San Diego than the national average?
Yes: $132,800 against $122,900 nationally, 8% more.
How does San Diego compare with the rest of California?
The median in California is $130,900, so San Diego pays 1% more.
Where does San Diego rank for engineer pay?
28 of 248 metro areas with data.
How much does an engineer make starting out in San Diego?
The lowest-paid 10% make $77,310 or less a year; the top 10% make $195,200 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.