What jobs pay in San Diego, CA
Typical yearly pay for 44 common jobs in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area, highest first. The last column ranks each job’s pay here against the 50 largest US metros after taxes and local prices.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
| Job | Typical pay | Middle half | Rank after cost of living |
|---|---|---|---|
| IT manager | $206,740 | $165,460–$262,210 | No. 24 |
| Lawyer | $178,220 | $135,400–$223,020 | No. 22 |
| Marketing manager | $174,840 | $132,130–$228,110 | No. 30 |
| Financial manager | $174,210 | $133,960–$235,400 | No. 40 |
| Physician assistant | $165,160 | $135,720–$204,920 | No. 19 |
| Pharmacist | $165,130 | $154,000–$201,750 | No. 35 |
| Nurse practitioner | $163,860 | $135,410–$181,120 | No. 16 |
| Software developer | $163,270 | $128,590–$193,980 | No. 12 |
| Registered nurse | $139,520 | $128,380–$169,920 | No. 6 |
| Construction manager | $133,210 | $102,510–$163,270 | No. 29 |
| Data scientist | $130,990 | $93,420–$164,160 | No. 25 |
| Web and digital interface designer | $123,850 | $80,020–$168,950 | No. 10 |
| Dental hygienist | $123,790 | $121,380–$126,820 | No. 13 |
| Mechanical engineer | $121,750 | $96,860–$151,920 | No. 30 |
| Sales manager | $119,750 | $78,620–$182,550 | No. 49 |
| General and operations manager | $119,600 | $78,200–$177,430 | No. 40 |
| Project manager | $117,460 | $86,370–$139,940 | No. 34 |
| Physical therapist | $113,850 | $96,820–$133,860 | No. 41 |
| Police officer | $110,400 | $82,360–$123,700 | No. 10 |
| Civil engineer | $108,900 | $93,650–$133,450 | No. 39 |
| Financial analyst | $106,040 | $81,400–$131,860 | No. 38 |
| High school teacher | $102,810 | $78,920–$124,670 | No. 8 |
| Management analyst | $101,190 | $80,850–$132,410 | No. 44 |
| Industrial designer | $99,650 | $72,800–$131,170 | No. 21 |
| Web developer | $98,300 | $79,250–$135,570 | No. 37 |
| Elementary school teacher | $97,000 | $75,030–$110,420 | No. 9 |
| Accountant | $96,340 | $76,690–$125,190 | No. 31 |
| HR specialist | $81,300 | $65,710–$107,800 | No. 41 |
| Licensed practical nurse (LPN) | $79,720 | $75,440–$89,040 | No. 15 |
| Marketing specialist | $79,440 | $57,660–$116,160 | No. 42 |
| Electrician | $76,160 | $60,110–$101,760 | No. 28 |
| Sales representative | $76,100 | $55,740–$105,750 | No. 37 |
| HVAC technician | $74,880 | $58,330–$91,690 | No. 17 |
| IT support specialist | $74,020 | $60,620–$86,220 | No. 12 |
| Carpenter | $73,200 | $58,570–$95,930 | No. 19 |
| Plumber | $72,510 | $61,390–$94,480 | No. 32 |
| Auto mechanic | $64,320 | $46,250–$76,290 | No. 14 |
| Truck driver | $59,780 | $48,370–$69,650 | No. 44 |
| Administrative assistant | $55,380 | $46,730–$64,080 | No. 17 |
| Medical assistant | $49,420 | $47,690–$60,480 | No. 36 |
| Customer service representative | $48,730 | $43,800–$60,280 | No. 30 |
| Nursing assistant (CNA) | $48,070 | $46,710–$51,600 | No. 18 |
| Warehouse worker | $43,320 | $37,740–$47,550 | No. 39 |
| Retail salesperson | $37,810 | $36,270–$45,020 | No. 24 |