How much does a mechanical engineer make in San Diego?
$121,800a year
Median yearly pay for mechanical engineers in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area. That is $58.53 an hour or $10,150 a month.
- Hourly
- $58.53
- Vs. national median
- +17%
- Rank among cities
- 25 of 346
- Jobs in the area
- 3,370
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $81,460Median: $121,800Highest 10%: $172,800
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $81,460 | $39.16 | |
| 25th | $96,860 | $46.57 | |
| Median | $121,800 | $58.53 | |
| 75th | $151,900 | $73.04 | |
| 90th | $172,800 | $83.06 |
Other cities in California
Median yearly pay for mechanical engineers.
| San Jose, CA | $168,000 |
| San Francisco, CA | $161,400 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $132,900 |
| Salinas, CA | $132,600 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $123,900 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $121,100 |
| Sacramento, CA | $121,000 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $120,700 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $119,800 |
| Stockton, CA | $117,400 |
| Oxnard, CA | $117,400 |
| Vallejo, CA | $106,800 |
| Redding, CA | $106,000 |
| Modesto, CA | $105,000 |
| Riverside, CA | $104,900 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $102,300 |
| Fresno, CA | $98,740 |
| Visalia, CA | $92,770 |
Related jobs in San Diego
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Computer Hardware Engineer | $174,400 |
| Electronics Engineer | $156,500 |
| Aerospace Engineer | $135,000 |
| Engineer | $132,800 |
| Bioengineer and Biomedical Engineer | $128,300 |
| Electrical Engineer | $127,300 |
| Health and Safety Engineer | $124,700 |
| Materials Engineer | $124,200 |
| Architect | $120,000 |
| Environmental Engineer | $119,400 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a mechanical engineer make an hour in San Diego?
The median hourly pay in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area is $58.53 ($121,800 a year).
Do mechanical engineers make more in San Diego than the national average?
Yes: $121,800 against $104,100 nationally, 17% more.
How does San Diego compare with the rest of California?
The median in California is $130,900, so San Diego pays 7% less.
Where does San Diego rank for mechanical engineer pay?
25 of 346 metro areas with data.
How much does a mechanical engineer make starting out in San Diego?
The lowest-paid 10% make $81,460 or less a year; the top 10% make $172,800 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.