How much does a medical scientist make in San Diego?
$131,000a year
Median yearly pay for medical scientists in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area. That is $62.97 an hour or $10,920 a month.
- Hourly
- $62.97
- Vs. national median
- +27%
- Rank among cities
- 21 of 178
- Jobs in the area
- 4,960
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $78,730Median: $131,000Highest 10%: $166,900
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $78,730 | $37.85 | |
| 25th | $101,200 | $48.64 | |
| Median | $131,000 | $62.97 | |
| 75th | $153,700 | $73.87 | |
| 90th | $166,900 | $80.25 |
Other cities in California
Median yearly pay for medical scientists.
| Vallejo, CA | $168,900 |
| San Francisco, CA | $160,200 |
| San Jose, CA | $159,300 |
| Chico, CA | $155,500 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $145,300 |
| Modesto, CA | $143,800 |
| Salinas, CA | $138,600 |
| Riverside, CA | $138,400 |
| Stockton, CA | $138,100 |
| Sacramento, CA | $137,600 |
| Fresno, CA | $137,100 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $134,900 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $134,100 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $132,100 |
| Oxnard, CA | $129,900 |
| Visalia, CA | $129,500 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $128,600 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $125,100 |
| Redding, CA | $123,500 |
Related jobs in San Diego
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Physicist | $156,500 |
| Psychologist | $148,800 |
| Physical Scientist | $132,400 |
| School Psychologist | $131,100 |
| Epidemiologist | $125,300 |
| Economist | $122,800 |
| Biochemist and Biophysicist | $121,700 |
| Atmospheric and Space Scientist | $120,400 |
| Microbiologist | $108,900 |
| Biological Scientist | $108,400 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a medical scientist make an hour in San Diego?
The median hourly pay in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area is $62.97 ($131,000 a year).
Do medical scientists make more in San Diego than the national average?
Yes: $131,000 against $103,400 nationally, 27% more.
How does San Diego compare with the rest of California?
The median in California is $137,000, so San Diego pays 4% less.
Where does San Diego rank for medical scientist pay?
21 of 178 metro areas with data.
How much does a medical scientist make starting out in San Diego?
The lowest-paid 10% make $78,730 or less a year; the top 10% make $166,900 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.