Mechanical Engineers salary
in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
- Middle 50%
- $96,860–$151,920
- vs U.S. median
- +17%
- Metro rank
- #22 of 211
Mechanical Engineers in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro earn a median of $121,750 a year, based on BLS estimates for 3,370 jobs (May 2025). That is 17% above the U.S. median of $104,110 and 7% below the CA statewide median of $130,900. It ranks #22 of 211 metros with published figures for this job.
- SOURCEBLS OEWS, May 2025
- SAMPLE3,370 jobs (estimate)
- SCOPEall employers, all experience levels
- PERIODMay 2025 estimates
Full percentile breakdown
BLS · metro vs U.S.
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Employers filing for this job in San Diego
2 employers · DOL
Mechanical Engineers pay in other CA metros
8 metros · BLS
| Metro | Median |
|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $168,030 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $161,370 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $123,900 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $121,130 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $120,970 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $119,790 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $117,420 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $117,380 |
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RELATED JOBS IN SAN DIEGO
- Civil Engineersmedian $108,900 · 5,620 jobs
- Industrial Engineersmedian $119,050 · 3,990 jobs
- Electrical Engineersmedian $127,270 · 2,400 jobs
- Engineers, All Othermedian $132,790 · 3,570 jobs
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computermedian $156,480 · 3,450 jobs
- Computer Hardware Engineersmedian $174,440 · 3,330 jobs
Questions
What is the average Mechanical Engineers salary in San Diego?
The BLS median is $121,750 a year (May 2025). Half of the 3,370 jobs pay between $96,860 and $151,920. The 10th percentile is $81,460 and the 90th is $172,760.
Is San Diego a high-paying metro for Mechanical Engineers?
That is 17% above the U.S. median of $104,110 and 7% below the CA statewide median of $130,900. It ranks #22 of 211 U.S. metros with published BLS figures for this job.
How much do Mechanical Engineers make an hour in San Diego?
About $58.53 an hour at the median (the BLS annual figure of $121,750 divided by 2,080 hours, the conversion BLS uses). The middle half earn about $46.57–$73.04 an hour. Straight-time pay, before overtime and shift differentials.
Does this include experience levels?
BLS figures cover all experience levels together. Employer filings carry a DOL wage level, which the free checker can filter by (approximate).
Which employers pay Mechanical Engineers the most in San Diego?
Among employers with 5+ visa-sponsored filings here, the highest medians were Apple ($174,800), Asml Us ($140,739). These are base wages for sponsored positions, not all employees.
Sources: U.S. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (national + state) (metro area estimates, all employers); employer rows from U.S. DOL OFLC LCA Disclosure Data, FY2026 Q3 (LCA_Disclosure_Data_FY2026_Q3.xlsx). Base pay only. Estimates can have sampling error, especially for smaller metros.