How much does a physical scientist make in San Diego?
$132,400a year
Median yearly pay for physical scientists in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area. That is $63.66 an hour or $11,030 a month.
- Hourly
- $63.66
- Vs. national median
- +8%
- Rank among cities
- 22 of 68
- Jobs in the area
- 180
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $82,690Median: $132,400Highest 10%: $191,900
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $82,690 | $39.75 | |
| 25th | $111,300 | $53.53 | |
| Median | $132,400 | $63.66 | |
| 75th | $156,500 | $75.23 | |
| 90th | $191,900 | $92.25 |
Other cities in California
Median yearly pay for physical scientists.
| San Jose, CA | $160,600 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $137,300 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $136,200 |
| Oxnard, CA | $131,600 |
| San Francisco, CA | $128,700 |
| Sacramento, CA | $101,100 |
Related jobs in San Diego
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Physicist | $156,500 |
| Psychologist | $148,800 |
| School Psychologist | $131,100 |
| Medical Scientist | $131,000 |
| 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 physical scientist make an hour in San Diego?
The median hourly pay in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area is $63.66 ($132,400 a year).
Do physical scientists make more in San Diego than the national average?
Yes: $132,400 against $122,600 nationally, 8% more.
How does San Diego compare with the rest of California?
The median in California is $130,600, so San Diego pays 1% more.
Where does San Diego rank for physical scientist pay?
22 of 68 metro areas with data.
How much does a physical scientist make starting out in San Diego?
The lowest-paid 10% make $82,690 or less a year; the top 10% make $191,900 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.