Updated May 2026 · BLS OEWS 2025 reference period
64 Highest Paying Jobs in San Diego, CA (2026)
The highest-paying job in San Diego, CA, California is Family Medicine Physician with a median salary of $295,530 as of 2026, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data. Across all 64 tracked occupations the average median is $127,094, with 47 occupations paying a six-figure ($100K+) median. San Diego, CA has a cost-of-living index of 160.2 (national average = 100), so a $127,094 nominal salary equals $79,335 in average-cost-metro buying power.
The 64 occupations below are ranked by median wage in San Diego, CA, CA, from BLS OEWS data. San Diego, CA's cost-of-living index runs 160.2 (national baseline = 100), which shapes the headline-wage interpretation. Top-paying occupations in any U.S. metro typically cluster around physicians, dentists, executives, tech specialists, and licensed professionals. The specific top of the list varies with local industry concentration: tech-heavy metros boost software-engineering ranks, finance-heavy metros boost banking ranks.
Each role on the ranking links to the per-role-and-city page with full percentile distribution (p10 to p90), employment count, and cost-adjusted wage. For workers comparing offers within San Diego, CA, the percentile data is the most decision-relevant.
Top 10 Highest-Paying Jobs in San Diego, CA
Ranked by median (50th percentile) salary. The COL-Adjusted column rebases each nominal salary to San Diego, CA's cost-of-living index of 160.2 so you can compare buying power against an average-cost U.S. metro.
Median $295,530 · 10th–90th $149,290–$493,980 · 1,360 jobs in metro
Family Medicine Physicians in San Diego, CA earn $295,530 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $493,980. Adjusted for the local cost of living, that median equals $184,476 of buying power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
Median $293,400 · 10th–90th $87,260–$405,070 · 100 jobs in metro
Obstetrician/Gynecologists in San Diego, CA earn $293,400 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $405,070. Adjusted for the local cost of living, that median equals $183,146 of buying power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
Median $262,650 · 10th–90th $158,110–$358,320 · 630 jobs in metro
Pediatricians in San Diego, CA earn $262,650 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $358,320. Adjusted for the local cost of living, that median equals $163,951 of buying power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
Median $206,740 · 10th–90th $127,840–$304,530 · 7,250 jobs in metro
Computer and Information Systems Managers in San Diego, CA earn $206,740 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $304,530. Adjusted for the local cost of living, that median equals $129,051 of buying power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
Median $178,220 · 10th–90th $104,140–$336,590 · 8,020 jobs in metro
Lawyers in San Diego, CA earn $178,220 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $336,590. Adjusted for the local cost of living, that median equals $111,248 of buying power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
Median $174,840 · 10th–90th $99,510–$305,740 · 3,790 jobs in metro
Marketing Managers in San Diego, CA earn $174,840 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $305,740. Adjusted for the local cost of living, that median equals $109,139 of buying power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
Median $174,210 · 10th–90th $100,950–$326,930 · 7,350 jobs in metro
Financial Managers in San Diego, CA earn $174,210 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $326,930. Adjusted for the local cost of living, that median equals $108,745 of buying power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
Median $165,160 · 10th–90th $109,750–$214,570 · 1,370 jobs in metro
Physician Assistants in San Diego, CA earn $165,160 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $214,570. Adjusted for the local cost of living, that median equals $103,096 of buying power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
Median $165,130 · 10th–90th $131,400–$214,480 · 2,840 jobs in metro
Pharmacists in San Diego, CA earn $165,130 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $214,480. Adjusted for the local cost of living, that median equals $103,077 of buying power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
Median $163,860 · 10th–90th $131,380–$215,640 · 2,340 jobs in metro
Nurse Practitioners in San Diego, CA earn $163,860 median, with top earners (90th percentile) over $215,640. Adjusted for the local cost of living, that median equals $102,285 of buying power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
Full Ranking (64 Occupations)
| Rank | Role | Category | Median | 10th–90th | COL-Adjusted | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Family Medicine Physician | Healthcare | $295,530 | $149,290–$493,980 | $184,476 | 1,360 |
| 2 | Obstetrician/Gynecologist | Healthcare | $293,400 | $87,260–$405,070 | $183,146 | 100 |
| 3 | Pediatrician | Healthcare | $262,650 | $158,110–$358,320 | $163,951 | 630 |
| 4 | Computer and Information Systems Manager | Technology | $206,740 | $127,840–$304,530 | $129,051 | 7,250 |
| 5 | Lawyer | Legal | $178,220 | $104,140–$336,590 | $111,248 | 8,020 |
| 6 | Marketing Manager | Management | $174,840 | $99,510–$305,740 | $109,139 | 3,790 |
| 7 | Financial Manager | Finance | $174,210 | $100,950–$326,930 | $108,745 | 7,350 |
| 8 | Physician Assistant | Healthcare | $165,160 | $109,750–$214,570 | $103,096 | 1,370 |
| 9 | Pharmacist | Healthcare | $165,130 | $131,400–$214,480 | $103,077 | 2,840 |
| 10 | Nurse Practitioner | Healthcare | $163,860 | $131,380–$215,640 | $102,285 | 2,340 |
| 11 | Software Developer | Technology | $163,270 | $95,420–$223,260 | $101,916 | 20,610 |
| 12 | Human Resources Manager | Management | $163,190 | $97,050–$282,400 | $101,866 | 2,300 |
| 13 | Veterinarian | Healthcare | $159,750 | $67,540–$276,230 | $99,719 | 1,080 |
| 14 | Dentist | Healthcare | $158,160 | $90,600–$259,320 | $98,727 | 1,710 |
| 15 | Computer Network Architect | Technology | $157,700 | $86,240–$212,050 | $98,439 | 1,490 |
| 16 | Registered Nurse | Healthcare | $139,520 | $102,480–$175,210 | $87,091 | 28,680 |
| 17 | Medical and Health Services Manager | Healthcare | $138,080 | $78,210–$290,480 | $86,192 | 6,980 |
| 18 | Computer Programmer | Technology | $134,130 | $71,010–$178,930 | $83,727 | 1,600 |
| 19 | Optometrist | Healthcare | $133,280 | $102,250–$208,180 | $83,196 | 540 |
| 20 | Engineers (Other) | Engineering | $132,790 | $77,310–$195,190 | $82,890 | 3,570 |
| 21 | Information Security Analyst | Technology | $132,120 | $70,790–$206,510 | $82,472 | 1,330 |
| 22 | Statistician | Technology | $131,860 | $74,470–$175,430 | $82,310 | 210 |
| 23 | Data Scientist | Technology | $130,990 | $74,110–$201,190 | $81,767 | 2,830 |
| 24 | Personal Financial Advisor | Finance | $130,330 | $68,640–$405,540 | $81,355 | 3,010 |
| 25 | Computer Occupations (Other) | Technology | $127,600 | $60,250–$186,440 | $79,650 | 7,340 |
| 26 | Electrical Engineer | Engineering | $127,270 | $80,080–$204,610 | $79,444 | 2,400 |
| 27 | Business Professor (Postsecondary) | Education | $126,140 | $51,050–$218,610 | $78,739 | 480 |
| 28 | Web Developer | Technology | $123,850 | $54,060–$205,400 | $77,310 | 1,270 |
| 29 | Dental Hygienist | Healthcare | $123,790 | $108,320–$130,530 | $77,272 | 1,940 |
| 30 | Mechanical Engineer | Engineering | $121,750 | $81,460–$172,760 | $75,999 | 3,370 |
| 31 | Occupational Therapist | Healthcare | $121,680 | $92,790–$152,150 | $75,955 | 1,620 |
| 32 | Software Quality Assurance Analyst | Technology | $121,530 | $82,220–$195,190 | $75,861 | 1,680 |
| 33 | Software Quality Assurance Tester | Technology | $120,210 | $62,380–$169,350 | $75,037 | 2,280 |
| 34 | Architect | Engineering | $120,040 | $76,130–$164,830 | $74,931 | 1,280 |
| 35 | Sales Manager | Management | $119,750 | $60,130–$265,790 | $74,750 | 8,630 |
| 36 | Speech-Language Pathologist | Healthcare | $119,690 | $84,200–$148,510 | $74,713 | 1,590 |
| 37 | General and Operations Manager | Management | $119,600 | $58,370–$267,090 | $74,657 | 26,230 |
| 38 | Computer Systems Analyst | Technology | $119,090 | $76,580–$170,810 | $74,338 | 5,760 |
| 39 | Industrial Engineer | Engineering | $119,050 | $73,530–$166,120 | $74,313 | 3,990 |
| 40 | Physical Therapist | Healthcare | $113,850 | $77,500–$158,700 | $71,067 | 2,680 |
| 41 | Civil Engineer | Engineering | $108,900 | $79,410–$166,430 | $67,978 | 5,620 |
| 42 | Database Architect | Technology | $106,820 | $59,300–$171,120 | $66,679 | 730 |
| 43 | Financial Examiner | Finance | $106,090 | $65,800–$161,020 | $66,223 | 220 |
| 44 | Financial Analyst | Finance | $106,040 | $66,830–$173,670 | $66,192 | 3,830 |
| 45 | Network Architect | Technology | $105,170 | $72,470–$154,710 | $65,649 | 2,510 |
| 46 | Secondary School Teacher | Education | $102,810 | $66,660–$221,870 | $64,176 | 6,690 |
| 47 | Management Analyst | Management | $101,190 | $64,080–$167,250 | $63,165 | 11,950 |
| 48 | Operations Research Analyst | Technology | $99,230 | $68,220–$170,460 | $61,941 | 1,280 |
| 49 | Web Designer | Technology | $98,300 | $58,010–$174,430 | $61,361 | 520 |
| 50 | Elementary School Teacher | Education | $97,000 | $62,140–$123,450 | $60,549 | 11,340 |
| 51 | Accountant | Finance | $96,340 | $62,520–$157,720 | $60,137 | 13,450 |
| 52 | Audiologist | Healthcare | $83,200 | $62,090–$117,840 | $51,935 | 390 |
| 53 | Writer/Author | Creative | $82,590 | $44,460–$163,830 | $51,554 | 350 |
| 54 | Loan Officer | Finance | $81,770 | $39,640–$168,140 | $51,042 | 2,360 |
| 55 | Public Relations Specialist | Creative | $81,240 | $50,390–$147,560 | $50,712 | 2,730 |
| 56 | Market Research Analyst | Management | $79,440 | $42,700–$162,860 | $49,588 | 0 |
| 57 | Computer Network Support Specialist | Technology | $79,270 | $48,090–$114,280 | $49,482 | 990 |
| 58 | Paralegal | Legal | $76,300 | $48,210–$107,380 | $47,628 | 4,440 |
| 59 | Electrician | Trades | $76,160 | $47,890–$126,260 | $47,541 | 8,060 |
| 60 | Carpenter | Trades | $73,200 | $47,310–$117,580 | $45,693 | 8,710 |
| 61 | Plumber | Trades | $72,510 | $46,030–$127,790 | $45,262 | 5,100 |
| 62 | Automotive Technician | Trades | $64,320 | $38,830–$86,660 | $40,150 | 4,910 |
| 63 | Clinical Laboratory Technologist | Healthcare | $63,770 | $45,130–$127,710 | $39,806 | 2,740 |
| 64 | Welder | Trades | $62,560 | $46,700–$82,470 | $39,051 | 2,940 |
Why These Roles Pay the Most in San Diego, CA
San Diego, CA combines biotech, defense, and tourism. Biotech and defense engineering roles pay at the upper end of national distributions; service-sector pay is held down by the high cost of living.
An average median salary above $90K places this metro in the top tier of U.S. cities for nominal pay. Most of that premium accrues to the upper percentiles of skilled and managerial occupations; entry-level and service-sector pay is closer to national norms.
San Diego, CA's cost-of-living index of 160.2 is among the highest tracked anywhere. Roughly 50% of nominal salary gains relative to a national-average metro are absorbed by housing alone; an additional 5–15% is consumed by transportation, food, and services. The COL-Adjusted column in the table above translates each nominal salary back to "what would buy this much in an average-cost metro" — that is the right benchmark for a cross-city comparison.
How to Use This Ranking
For salary negotiation, the median is a starting anchor — not the ceiling. A Family Medicine Physician with five-plus years of experience in San Diego, CA should be benchmarking against the 75th percentile ($394,755) or 90th percentile ($493,980), not the $295,530 median. Use the salary percentile calculator to place any specific salary into the BLS distribution for any role-and-city pair.
For cross-city comparisons, ignore the nominal Median column and look at COL-Adjusted. A $296K Family Medicine Physician salary in San Diego, CA (COL 160.2) translates to $184K of buying power in an average-cost metro — that is the apples-to-apples figure when weighing a relocation. Read the methodology behind these adjustments in our methodology page.
For job hunting, focus on the top-10 ranking above and on the role-by-role detail pages — each links through to a Family Medicine Physician in San Diego, CA page with full percentile breakdowns, year-over-year change, and prevailing-wage references for H-1B / PERM applicants.
Frequently Asked Questions
The highest paying job in San Diego, CA is Family Medicine Physician with a median salary of $295,530 and a 90th-percentile reading of $493,980. The role employs roughly 1,360 workers in this metro according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2025 OEWS data.
47 of the 64 BLS-tracked occupations in San Diego, CA have a median salary of $100,000 or higher. That is well above what most U.S. metros offer. See the full list ranked by median salary above.
Across 64 BLS-tracked occupations, the average median salary in San Diego, CA is $127,094. The cost-of-living index is 160.2, so adjusted to a national-average baseline, the average is $79,335 in equivalent purchasing power.
San Diego, CA offers high nominal salaries — the average median is $127,094 — but the cost of living index of 160.2 consumes a meaningful share of that premium. The COL-adjusted average is $79,335, which is the right comparison when weighing offers in lower-cost metros.
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 across all industries. The OEWS publishes 10th, 25th, 50th (median), 75th, and 90th percentile wages by Metropolitan Statistical Area and Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code. The same data is used by the Department of Labor for prevailing wage determinations.
Related Pages
Rankings based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025 reference period. COL adjustments use a composite cost-of-living index calibrated to U.S. average = 100.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2026.