Updated May 2026 · BLS OEWS 2025 reference period
San Diego, CA Average Salary 2026
Cost of living, occupation-by-occupation pay, and percentile ranges from official BLS data.
The average salary in San Diego, CA, California is $127,094 as of 2026, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (2025 reference period) covering 64 occupations and roughly 285,390 workers. Adjusted for San Diego, CA's cost-of-living index of 160.2, that nominal average translates to $79,335 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro. The highest-paying tracked occupation is Family Medicine Physician at $295,530; the lowest is Welder at $62,560.
San Diego, CA, CA is a high-cost-of-living city (index 160.2). BLS OEWS reports 64 occupations with median wages averaging $127,094. The headline wages need cost-of-living adjustment to compare meaningfully to lower-COL markets.
Highest-paying role in San Diego, CA on BLS data is Family Medicine Physician at $295,530 median. Top-paying roles in any U.S. city skew toward physicians, executives, tech specialists, and licensed professionals; the specific ranking varies with the local industry mix. For workers evaluating San Diego, CA as a destination, the gross-wage premium typical of high-cost cities partially offsets the cost-of-living differential. Whether the trade-off is favorable depends on individual factors (housing tenure, household size, education-cost obligations) more than on aggregate index numbers.
Salaries by Occupation in San Diego, CA
| Role | Category | Median | Range (10th–90th) | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Family Medicine Physician | Healthcare | $295,530 | $149,290 – $493,980 | 1,360 |
| Obstetrician/Gynecologist | Healthcare | $293,400 | $87,260 – $405,070 | 100 |
| Pediatrician | Healthcare | $262,650 | $158,110 – $358,320 | 630 |
| Computer and Information Systems Manager | Technology | $206,740 | $127,840 – $304,530 | 7,250 |
| Lawyer | Legal | $178,220 | $104,140 – $336,590 | 8,020 |
| Marketing Manager | Management | $174,840 | $99,510 – $305,740 | 3,790 |
| Financial Manager | Finance | $174,210 | $100,950 – $326,930 | 7,350 |
| Physician Assistant | Healthcare | $165,160 | $109,750 – $214,570 | 1,370 |
| Pharmacist | Healthcare | $165,130 | $131,400 – $214,480 | 2,840 |
| Nurse Practitioner | Healthcare | $163,860 | $131,380 – $215,640 | 2,340 |
| Software Developer | Technology | $163,270 | $95,420 – $223,260 | 20,610 |
| Human Resources Manager | Management | $163,190 | $97,050 – $282,400 | 2,300 |
| Veterinarian | Healthcare | $159,750 | $67,540 – $276,230 | 1,080 |
| Dentist | Healthcare | $158,160 | $90,600 – $259,320 | 1,710 |
| Computer Network Architect | Technology | $157,700 | $86,240 – $212,050 | 1,490 |
| Registered Nurse | Healthcare | $139,520 | $102,480 – $175,210 | 28,680 |
| Medical and Health Services Manager | Healthcare | $138,080 | $78,210 – $290,480 | 6,980 |
| Computer Programmer | Technology | $134,130 | $71,010 – $178,930 | 1,600 |
| Optometrist | Healthcare | $133,280 | $102,250 – $208,180 | 540 |
| Engineers (Other) | Engineering | $132,790 | $77,310 – $195,190 | 3,570 |
| Information Security Analyst | Technology | $132,120 | $70,790 – $206,510 | 1,330 |
| Statistician | Technology | $131,860 | $74,470 – $175,430 | 210 |
| Data Scientist | Technology | $130,990 | $74,110 – $201,190 | 2,830 |
| Personal Financial Advisor | Finance | $130,330 | $68,640 – $405,540 | 3,010 |
| Computer Occupations (Other) | Technology | $127,600 | $60,250 – $186,440 | 7,340 |
| Electrical Engineer | Engineering | $127,270 | $80,080 – $204,610 | 2,400 |
| Business Professor (Postsecondary) | Education | $126,140 | $51,050 – $218,610 | 480 |
| Web Developer | Technology | $123,850 | $54,060 – $205,400 | 1,270 |
| Dental Hygienist | Healthcare | $123,790 | $108,320 – $130,530 | 1,940 |
| Mechanical Engineer | Engineering | $121,750 | $81,460 – $172,760 | 3,370 |
| Occupational Therapist | Healthcare | $121,680 | $92,790 – $152,150 | 1,620 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analyst | Technology | $121,530 | $82,220 – $195,190 | 1,680 |
| Software Quality Assurance Tester | Technology | $120,210 | $62,380 – $169,350 | 2,280 |
| Architect | Engineering | $120,040 | $76,130 – $164,830 | 1,280 |
| Sales Manager | Management | $119,750 | $60,130 – $265,790 | 8,630 |
| Speech-Language Pathologist | Healthcare | $119,690 | $84,200 – $148,510 | 1,590 |
| General and Operations Manager | Management | $119,600 | $58,370 – $267,090 | 26,230 |
| Computer Systems Analyst | Technology | $119,090 | $76,580 – $170,810 | 5,760 |
| Industrial Engineer | Engineering | $119,050 | $73,530 – $166,120 | 3,990 |
| Physical Therapist | Healthcare | $113,850 | $77,500 – $158,700 | 2,680 |
| Civil Engineer | Engineering | $108,900 | $79,410 – $166,430 | 5,620 |
| Database Architect | Technology | $106,820 | $59,300 – $171,120 | 730 |
| Financial Examiner | Finance | $106,090 | $65,800 – $161,020 | 220 |
| Financial Analyst | Finance | $106,040 | $66,830 – $173,670 | 3,830 |
| Network Architect | Technology | $105,170 | $72,470 – $154,710 | 2,510 |
| Secondary School Teacher | Education | $102,810 | $66,660 – $221,870 | 6,690 |
| Management Analyst | Management | $101,190 | $64,080 – $167,250 | 11,950 |
| Operations Research Analyst | Technology | $99,230 | $68,220 – $170,460 | 1,280 |
| Web Designer | Technology | $98,300 | $58,010 – $174,430 | 520 |
| Elementary School Teacher | Education | $97,000 | $62,140 – $123,450 | 11,340 |
| Accountant | Finance | $96,340 | $62,520 – $157,720 | 13,450 |
| Audiologist | Healthcare | $83,200 | $62,090 – $117,840 | 390 |
| Writer/Author | Creative | $82,590 | $44,460 – $163,830 | 350 |
| Loan Officer | Finance | $81,770 | $39,640 – $168,140 | 2,360 |
| Public Relations Specialist | Creative | $81,240 | $50,390 – $147,560 | 2,730 |
| Market Research Analyst | Management | $79,440 | $42,700 – $162,860 | 0 |
| Computer Network Support Specialist | Technology | $79,270 | $48,090 – $114,280 | 990 |
| Paralegal | Legal | $76,300 | $48,210 – $107,380 | 4,440 |
| Electrician | Trades | $76,160 | $47,890 – $126,260 | 8,060 |
| Carpenter | Trades | $73,200 | $47,310 – $117,580 | 8,710 |
| Plumber | Trades | $72,510 | $46,030 – $127,790 | 5,100 |
| Automotive Technician | Trades | $64,320 | $38,830 – $86,660 | 4,910 |
| Clinical Laboratory Technologist | Healthcare | $63,770 | $45,130 – $127,710 | 2,740 |
| Welder | Trades | $62,560 | $46,700 – $82,470 | 2,940 |
What These Numbers Tell You
The single highest-paying occupation tracked in San Diego, CA is Family Medicine Physician, with a median of $295,530 and a 90th-percentile reading of $493,980. That $344,690 spread between the 10th and 90th percentiles is typical for a role of this seniority — entry-level workers cluster near the bottom of the band, while senior specialists and managers earn at the top.
Across all 64 BLS-tracked occupations in San Diego, CA, the average median salary is $127,094. The top five roles average $247,308 — about 1.9× the citywide average — which is the expected shape for a U.S. metro economy: a small concentration of high-skill, high-credential occupations sits well above the broader middle.
San Diego, CA is one of the most expensive metros tracked here, with a cost-of-living index of 160.2 — about 60% above the U.S. national average. Housing dominates that premium; in markets at this level, mortgage or rent often consumes 35–45% of pre-tax pay even at the median, so the headline salary numbers below understate how much purchasing power you actually keep.
Salary Negotiation in San Diego, CA
For salary negotiation in San Diego, CA, the practical input is the percentile band for your role and city, not the citywide average. The OEWS publishes 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentile wages for every metro and occupation; you can find your role's exact percentile in the table above and use the SalaryTruth percentile calculator to anchor your offer. Cost-of-living index 160.2 should also factor in any cross-metro comparison.
For city-vs-city moves, the right benchmark is COL-adjusted pay rather than nominal pay. Our COL-adjusted salaries guide shows the exact math; the negotiation playbook covers how to use BLS percentile bands to anchor offers.
How San Diego, CA Salary Data Is Built
Wages on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program — a federal survey of more than 1.2 million U.S. establishments, published once per year by Metropolitan Statistical Area and Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code. We pull the BLS data file for San Diego, CA, match each occupation against our role catalog, and surface percentile wages alongside employment counts. The cost-of-living index (160.2) is a composite of housing, food, transportation, and utility data from public sources, calibrated to a U.S. national average of 100. Read the full methodology.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average salary in San Diego, CA in 2026?
The average salary in San Diego, CA is $127,094 as of 2026, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' OEWS 2025 release covering 64 occupations. The mean (employment-weighted average) gives slightly more weight to large occupations; the median across roles is also close to $127,094. The top-paying role is Family Medicine Physician at $295,530.
Is $100,000 a good salary in San Diego, CA?
In San Diego, CA, $100,000 has the purchasing power of $62,422 in an average-cost U.S. metro (COL index 160.2). That is meaningfully below $100K of buying power — high-cost metros eat into nominal salaries. Compared to the city's average median of $127,094, $100K is below the typical worker.
What are the highest-paying jobs in San Diego, CA?
The top-paying tracked occupations in San Diego, CA are Family Medicine Physician ($295,530), Obstetrician/Gynecologist ($293,400), Pediatrician ($262,650), and Computer and Information Systems Manager ($206,740). Across the top 10, median salaries range from $163,860 to $295,530. See the full ranking at /ranking/highest-paying-jobs/san-diego.
How does San Diego, CA's cost of living affect salaries?
San Diego, CA has a cost-of-living index of 160.2, 60% above the U.S. national average. A nominal salary of $127,094 in this metro has the equivalent purchasing power of $79,335 in an average-cost U.S. city. Housing is the dominant driver of this gap; in higher-COL markets, mortgage or rent typically eats 5–15 percentage points more of pre-tax pay than in average-cost metros.
How many people are employed in San Diego, CA?
Across the 64 BLS-tracked occupations on this page, total employment in the San Diego, CA metro is approximately 285,390. BLS OEWS sample-based estimates cover all major occupational categories but exclude very small or volatile fields where the sample is too thin to publish.
Where does this San Diego, CA salary data come from?
Every wage figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program at bls.gov/oes — public domain federal survey data covering about 1.2 million U.S. employers. The same data is used by the U.S. Department of Labor for prevailing wage determinations.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, San Diego, CA MSA, 2026 release. Public domain. See bls.gov/oes. Cite as: "SalaryTruth, BLS OEWS 2026."
Last refreshed 2026-05-21 · 64 occupations · COL Index 160.2.