Accountant pay in San Diego, CA
Accountants in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area earn a typical $96,340 a year. The middle half earn $76,690 to $125,190, and the top 10% earn more than $157,720. About 13,450 people do this job there.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (occupation: Accountants and Auditors, SOC 13-2011).
Pay range
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $62,520 |
| 25th percentile | $76,690 |
| Median (typical) | $96,340 |
| 75th percentile | $125,190 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $157,720 |
Typical pay here ranks No. 8 of 50 large metros for accountants before taxes and prices.
After taxes and cost of living
At the typical $96,340, a single filer keeps about $71,900 a year after federal, Social Security, Medicare, and California state income tax. Prices in San Diego are 12% above the US average, so that take-home buys what $64,200 would in a typical US city. That ranks San Diego No. 31 of 50 large metros for accountants after cost of living.
Where accountants’ pay goes furthest
- San Jose, CA$121,700 typical · worth $79.1k
- Charlotte, NC$92,910 typical · worth $73k
- Providence, RI$95,020 typical · worth $71.4k
- Denver, CO$100,020 typical · worth $71.3k
All 50 metros for accountants →
Where does your salary land?
Add your salary and experience to see your percentile among accountants in San Diego. Free and private. (Different city? Use the main checker.) 3 employers here filed pay above the typical rate in government filings; your check shows how many pay more than you.
Common questions
How much does a accountant make in San Diego, CA?
The typical (median) accountant in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area earns $96,340 a year. The middle half earn between $76,690 and $125,190, and the top 10% earn more than $157,720. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
What is a good salary for a accountant in San Diego?
Anything above $96,340 pays more than half of accountants in San Diego. $125,190 or more puts you in the top quarter, and $157,720 in the top 10%. Experience and employer move where you should be in that range.
How much does a accountant in San Diego take home after taxes?
At the typical $96,340, a single filer keeps about $71,900 a year ($5,990 a month) after federal, Social Security, Medicare, California state income tax. With local prices 12% above the US average, that buys what $64,200 would in a typical US city.
Where do accountants get paid the most after cost of living?
Among the 50 largest US metros, typical accountant pay goes furthest after taxes and prices in San Jose, CA, Charlotte, NC, Providence, RI. San Diego, CA ranks No. 31.
More: Accountant pay in every large metro · Pay for other jobs in San Diego, CA
Local prices: BEA regional price parities, 2024. Updated November 2026.