StateRates

San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad salaries

The median worker in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area earned $56,580 a year in 2024, about $27.20 an hour. That ranks #28 of the 391 metro areas published here, 14.3% above the national median.

California

Median pay $56,580 $27.20 per hour
Vs national +14.3% U.S. $49,500
Workers 1,533,290 wage and salary
Metro rank #28 of 391 by median pay

What this labour market looks like

San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad pays 0.6% less than California as a whole. Metros usually run ahead of their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and the gap is a rough measure of how much of a state's economy sits in its cities.

Housing here moved +0.2% over the year to 2026 Q2 and +26.4% over five years. Pay and house prices rarely move together, and where they diverge for long the affordability of an area changes even when nothing about the jobs does. House prices in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad.

Unusually concentrated here

Occupations against their national share, 2024
Occupation Concentration Employed Median
Marriage and Family Therapists 7.11× 4,660 $48,950
Computer Hardware Engineers 4.24× 3,200 $169,230
Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other 4.2× 3,740 $35,040
Biological Scientists, All Other 4.13× 2,450 $105,160
Computer and Information Research Scientists 4.09× 1,570 $124,790
Electronics Engineers, Except Computer 3.95× 3,690 $153,110
Material Moving Workers, All Other 3.87× 970 $35,220
Plasterers and Stucco Masons 3.83× 800 $61,120
Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers 3.76× 3,100 $69,930
Solar Photovoltaic Installers 3.66× 1,030 $59,140
Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other 3.21× 3,660 $61,940
Parking Attendants 3.21× 4,300 $36,130

Best paid occupations

Highest median pay in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
Occupation Median Hourly Employed
Natural Sciences Managers $199,590 $95.96 2,630
Computer and Information Systems Managers $193,370 $92.96 7,620
Architectural and Engineering Managers $185,550 $89.21 3,690
Dentists, General $176,970 $85.08 1,950
Marketing Managers $171,590 $82.49 4,390
Computer Hardware Engineers $169,230 $81.36 3,200
Financial Managers $168,300 $80.91 8,120
Managers, All Other $167,000 $80.29 10,130
Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary $165,530 n/a 570
Lawyers $165,000 $79.33 8,990
Pharmacists $163,860 $78.78 2,820
Human Resources Managers $163,220 $78.47 2,260
Nurse Practitioners $162,030 $77.90 2,790
Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary $161,010 n/a 330
Medical and Health Services Managers $160,640 $77.23 5,830
Software Developers $159,240 $76.56 21,080
Veterinarians $158,260 $76.09 1,000
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary $156,670 n/a 2,490
Purchasing Managers $156,050 $75.02 720
Physician Assistants $153,530 $73.81 1,100
Electronics Engineers, Except Computer $153,110 $73.61 3,690
Compensation and Benefits Managers $151,190 $72.69 200
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives $147,340 $70.84 890
Psychologists, All Other $146,350 $70.36 240
Training and Development Managers $144,560 $69.50 570
Public Relations Managers $139,860 $67.24 630
Database Architects $137,990 $66.34 390
Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary $136,670 n/a 230
Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers $136,670 $65.71 210
English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary $136,320 n/a 410
Optometrists $134,250 $64.54 540
Computer Programmers $133,560 $64.21 1,800
Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary $133,360 n/a 350
Communications Teachers, Postsecondary $133,200 n/a 330
Registered Nurses $133,090 $63.99 27,660
Aerospace Engineers $132,320 $63.62 750
Industrial Production Managers $131,810 $63.37 2,260
Business Teachers, Postsecondary $131,590 n/a 460
Computer Network Architects $131,200 $63.08 1,260
Information Security Analysts $130,900 $62.93 1,240
Engineers, All Other $130,550 $62.77 3,240
Physical Scientists, All Other $129,540 $62.28 200
Diagnostic Medical Sonographers $129,440 $62.23 570
Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary $129,140 n/a 230
Electrical Engineers $128,750 $61.90 2,200
Mechanical Engineers $128,660 $61.86 3,320
Personal Financial Advisors $128,400 $61.73 2,810
Construction Managers $128,380 $61.72 3,740
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists $128,270 $61.67 4,240
Fundraising Managers $127,450 $61.27 520
Data Scientists $127,200 $61.15 2,550
Environmental Engineers $125,890 $60.53 460
Sales Managers $125,430 $60.31 8,250
Computer and Information Research Scientists $124,790 $60.00 1,570
Physicists $124,710 $59.96 370
Materials Engineers $124,130 $59.68 230
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists $123,850 $59.54 270
Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary $123,520 n/a 420
Sales Engineers $122,890 $59.08 450
Computer Occupations, All Other $121,560 $58.44 8,210

Where most people work

Largest occupations in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad by employment
Occupation Employed Median Hourly
Home Health and Personal Care Aides 51,760 $35,050 $16.85
Fast Food and Counter Workers 40,240 $35,860 $17.24
Cashiers 31,630 $36,110 $17.36
Retail Salespersons 31,420 $36,600 $17.59
Office Clerks, General 28,550 $48,970 $23.54
Registered Nurses 27,660 $133,090 $63.99
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 24,960 $39,000 $18.75
Waiters and Waitresses 24,800 $35,060 $16.85
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 22,460 $37,010 $17.79
Software Developers 21,080 $159,240 $76.56
Stockers and Order Fillers 21,030 $38,690 $18.60
Business Operations Specialists, All Other 17,790 $81,030 $38.96
Customer Service Representatives 15,680 $46,940 $22.57
Cooks, Restaurant 15,380 $45,040 $21.66
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive 14,870 $53,040 $25.50
Accountants and Auditors 14,070 $93,430 $44.92
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers 13,770 $44,990 $21.63
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers 13,410 $72,380 $34.80
Security Guards 13,370 $41,380 $19.89
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks 12,510 $56,730 $27.28

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 state estimates. Wage and salary workers only, excluding the self-employed.

Other California metro areas

San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad pay: common questions

What is the average salary in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?

The median across all occupations is $56,580, or $27.20 an hour, covering 1,533,290 wage and salary workers. The mean is $78,720, higher because a small number of very large salaries pull an average upward.

Does San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad pay more than the rest of California?

No. The metro median of $56,580 is 0.6% below the California median of $56,940. Metropolitan areas usually pay more than their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and usually cost more to live in for the same reason.

Which jobs pay best in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?

Natural Sciences Managers ($199,590), Computer and Information Systems Managers ($193,370), Architectural and Engineering Managers ($185,550). Medical specialities top nearly every metro list, which reflects how the occupations are classified more than local conditions.

What is San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad unusually full of?

Marriage and Family Therapists, at 7.11× the national concentration. Location quotient is a better description of a local economy than its biggest employers, which are retail and food service almost everywhere.