Civil Engineers salary in San Diego, CA
Median pay for civil engineers in San Diego, CA: $99,280/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $76,400 – $159,090 · about 5,040 employed locally
Above the typical metro median ($88,630) by +$10,650 (+12%).
What it's really worth in San Diego
With San Diego's cost of living at 111 (US=100), that $99,280 has the buying power of about $89,651 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $96,974 · median home $946,365 · median rent $2,951/mo.
How San Diego ranks for this job
On raw pay, San Diego, CA is 35th of the 187 metros we hold civil engineers wages for. Once San Diego's cost of living is applied, it ranks 112th.
The headline number flatters San Diego. Once housing and everyday costs are taken into account, civil engineers here keep less of what they earn than the raw salary implies.
What that salary buys in San Diego
A median home in San Diego, CA costs $946,365 — about 9.5× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is harder here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $2,951/mo works out at 36% of gross pay — above the conventional 30% affordability ceiling, so renting would stretch this salary.
Where civil engineers earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to San Diego.
| Metro | Median pay | vs San Diego | Rent vs San Diego |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sacramento, CA | $125,760 | +27% | 0.8× |
| San Francisco, CA | $122,670 | +24% | 1.1× |
| San Jose, CA | $119,430 | +20% | 1.2× |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $110,110 | +11% | 0.5× |
Same job elsewhere in CA
| Metro | Median pay | vs San Diego | Rent vs San Diego |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sacramento, CA | $125,760 | +27% | 0.8× |
| San Francisco, CA | $122,670 | +24% | 1.1× |
| San Jose, CA | $119,430 | +20% | 1.2× |
| Fresno, CA | $108,570 | +9% | 0.7× |
Staying in CA keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires civil engineers around San Diego
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- U.S. Navy · Government
- County of San Diego · Government
Other jobs in San Diego
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 187 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.