The San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metropolitan statistical area, as BLS defines it.
Pay data · metro area
Average Salary in San Diego, CA (2026)
The average salary in the San Diego metro area is $79,060 a year and the median is $58,690: 15% above the US median and 1% above California's (BLS, May 2025). At national-average prices the median is worth $52,450, 138th of 387 metro areas.
- Average (mean) salary
- $79,060US $69,770
- Median salary
- $58,690US $50,980
- Median hourly
- $28.21BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Price level
- 111.9US = 100 · BEA 2024
The spread
What workers in San Diego earn
| Percentile | San Diego area | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $36,250 | $35,950 | $31,200 |
| 25th | $41,740 | $41,600 | $37,590 |
| 50th (median) | $58,690 | $58,240 | $50,980 |
| 75th | $97,410 | $97,880 | $80,520 |
| 90th | $152,580 | $159,080 | $128,560 |
| Mean | $79,060 | $80,690 | $69,770 |
Prices
Cost of living in San Diego
BEA Regional Price Parities put the San Diego area at 111.9 against a US average of 100. Matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $111,890 here. Compare with another city.
US = 100
- All items111.9
- Housing (rents)179.3
- Goods108
- Utilities174.2
- Other services99.6
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| All items | 111.9 |
| Housing (rents) | 179.3 |
| Goods | 108 |
| Utilities | 174.2 |
| Other services | 99.6 |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
Common jobs
What common jobs pay in San Diego
Mean annual wage in the San Diego area against the national mean for the same occupation (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Occupation | San Diego area | US mean | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $145,060 | $101,420 | +43% |
| Software Developer | $163,300 | $148,100 | +10% |
| Elementary School Teacher | $91,390 | $72,650 | +26% |
| Accountant | $103,810 | $94,750 | +10% |
| Electrician | $82,240 | $71,490 | +15% |
| Truck Driver | $60,170 | $59,710 | +1% |
| Customer Service Representative | $52,980 | $46,590 | +14% |
| Retail Salesperson | $41,850 | $37,310 | +12% |
| Nursing Assistant | $49,770 | $42,700 | +17% |
| General and Operations Manager | $144,600 | $134,940 | +7% |
| Maintenance and Repair Worker, General | $58,010 | $53,780 | +8% |
| Cook, Restaurant | $45,760 | $38,730 | +18% |
The jobs
Best-paying jobs in San Diego
BLS publishes estimates for 637 occupations in this metro. Highest mean pay, and the large occupations this area pays furthest above their national average.
Highest-paying jobs
Mean annual wage
- 1Natural Sciences Manager$218,170
- 2IT Manager$210,950
- 3Lawyer$203,670
- 4Architectural and Engineering Manager$202,110
- 5Financial Manager$198,640
- 6Marketing Manager$192,380
- 7Biological Science Teacher, Postsecondary$182,570
- 8Computer Hardware Engineer$177,800
- 9Regulatory Affairs Manager$176,720
- 10Human Resources Manager$176,260
Jobs San Diego pays above the national average
Occupations with 100,000+ US workers
- 1Special Education Teacher, Secondary School$121,230 · +57%
- 2High School Teacher$116,110 · +52%
- 3Registered Nurse$145,060 · +43%
- 4Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator$94,160 · +42%
- 5First-Line Supervisor of Police and Detectives$156,710 · +40%
- 6Public Safety Telecommunicator$78,420 · +38%
- 7Police Officer$108,760 · +37%
- 8Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operator$84,680 · +35%
- 9Career/Technical Education Teacher, Secondary School$97,480 · +34%
- 10Instructional Coordinator$108,350 · +34%
Compare
Other metro areas in California
Method
About these numbers
- All-occupations wages for the metro are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 estimates (api.bls.gov). Wage and salary workers only; excludes the self-employed.
- Pay by occupation is the OEWS May 2025 mean for that occupation in this metro, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 prevailing-wage file. Only figures BLS estimated for this metro itself are used, never state or national fallbacks.
- Price levels are BEA Regional Price Parities for 2024. Price-adjusted pay is a NueCareer calculation (wage ÷ RPP/100).
Questions
Average salary in San Diego: FAQ
What is the average salary in San Diego?
Across all occupations in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area, the average (mean) annual wage is $79,060 and the median is $58,690, 15% above the US median (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That covers 1,538,060 wage and salary jobs.
What is a good salary in San Diego?
Above $58,690 out-earns half of workers in the San Diego area; the top 25% start at $97,410 and the top 10% at $152,580. Prices run 12% above the national average (BEA, 2024), so matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $111,890 here.
Is San Diego expensive to live in?
BEA's price level for the San Diego metro is 111.9 (US = 100, 2024). Housing rents are 179.3, goods 108.0, utilities 174.2. At local prices the median wage is worth $52,450, 138th of 387 metros.
What are the highest-paying jobs in San Diego?
By mean annual wage: Natural Sciences Manager ($218,170), IT Manager ($210,950), Lawyer ($203,670), Architectural and Engineering Manager ($202,110), Financial Manager ($198,640) (BLS OEWS May 2025, via the DOL wage file).