Salaries in San Diego, California
Market pay in San Diego, California runs about 11% above the national level across professional roles, based on the geographic pay differentials in our pricing model. Every figure below is the national market median repriced into the San Diego, California market and aged to 2026.
A role paying $100,000 at the national median typically pays about $111,000 in San Diego, California.
Highest-paying jobs in San Diego, California
| Job title | Median pay (city) |
|---|---|
| Pediatric Surgeon | $580,500 |
| Cardiologist | $526,500 |
| Radiologist | $441,000 |
| Surgeons, All Other | $432,000 |
| Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | $431,500 |
| Anesthesiologist | $416,500 |
| Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons | $400,500 |
| Dermatologist | $374,000 |
| Emergency Medicine Physician | $366,500 |
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | $352,000 |
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | $333,500 |
| Physicians, Pathologists | $330,000 |
| Obstetricians and Gynecologists | $322,500 |
| Psychiatrist | $312,000 |
| Chief Executive | $311,500 |
Most common jobs in San Diego, California
| Job title | Median pay (city) |
|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $41,000 |
| Retail Salesperson | $42,000 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $36,500 |
| General and Operations Managers | $155,000 |
| Registered Nurse | $116,500 |
| Cashier | $37,500 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $48,000 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $45,000 |
| Customer Service Representative | $52,500 |
| Office Clerks, General | $52,500 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $45,500 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | $43,500 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $68,500 |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $56,000 |
| Software Developer | $171,000 |
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Methodology: national medians come from published U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage statistics, aged to 2026, then repriced with the professional geographic differentials in our pricing model. City figures are modeled market estimates for planning and negotiation, not guarantees. See our methodology. Updated August 2026.
