Civil engineer pay in San Diego, CA
Civil engineers in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area earn a typical $108,900 a year. The middle half earn $93,650 to $133,450, and the top 10% earn more than $166,430. About 5,620 people do this job there.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (occupation: Civil Engineers, SOC 17-2051).
Pay range
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $79,410 |
| 25th percentile | $93,650 |
| Median (typical) | $108,900 |
| 75th percentile | $133,450 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $166,430 |
Typical pay here ranks No. 6 of 50 large metros for civil engineers before taxes and prices.
After taxes and cost of living
At the typical $108,900, a single filer keeps about $79,500 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 $71,100 would in a typical US city. That ranks San Diego No. 39 of 50 large metros for civil engineers after cost of living.
Where civil engineers’ pay goes furthest
- Sacramento, CA$130,150 typical · worth $86.6k
- San Jose, CA$130,280 typical · worth $83.7k
- Las Vegas, NV$106,110 typical · worth $83.3k
- Memphis, TN$96,100 typical · worth $82.9k
All 50 metros for civil engineers →
Where does your salary land?
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Common questions
How much does a civil engineer make in San Diego, CA?
The typical (median) civil engineer in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area earns $108,900 a year. The middle half earn between $93,650 and $133,450, and the top 10% earn more than $166,430. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
What is a good salary for a civil engineer in San Diego?
Anything above $108,900 pays more than half of civil engineers in San Diego. $133,450 or more puts you in the top quarter, and $166,430 in the top 10%. Experience and employer move where you should be in that range.
How much does a civil engineer in San Diego take home after taxes?
At the typical $108,900, a single filer keeps about $79,500 a year ($6,630 a month) after federal, Social Security, Medicare, California state income tax. With local prices 12% above the US average, that buys what $71,100 would in a typical US city.
Where do civil engineers get paid the most after cost of living?
Among the 50 largest US metros, typical civil engineer pay goes furthest after taxes and prices in Sacramento, CA, San Jose, CA, Las Vegas, NV. San Diego, CA ranks No. 39.
More: Civil engineer pay in every large metro · Pay for other jobs in San Diego, CA
Local prices: BEA regional price parities, 2024. Updated November 2026.