Mechanical Engineers Salary in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
According to the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the median annual wage for Mechanical Engineers in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA is $121,750. BLS estimates approximately 3,370 people work in this occupation in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA. San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA is 16.9% above the national median ($104,110).
Salary Distribution
Not everyone earns the median. Percentile wages show the range of pay within this occupation.
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $81,460 | $39.17 |
| 25th percentile | $96,860 | $46.57 |
| Median (50th) | $121,750 | $58.54 |
| 75th percentile | $151,920 | $73.04 |
| 90th percentile | $172,760 | $83.06 |
Data Reliability
BLS OEWS is a survey, not a full census — every estimate carries a margin of error. The relative standard error (RSE) below is BLS’s own measure of how much an estimate could vary; lower is more precise.
- Wage estimate
- RSE 1.7% — Very reliable
- Employment estimate
- RSE 7.5% — Reliable
Where Does Your Salary Fall?
Enter an annual salary to see roughly where it falls among reported wages for this occupation, based on the percentile points above.
Concentration
- Jobs per 1,000
- 2.193
- Location quotient
- 1.15
Cost-of-Living Adjusted Salary
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA’s regional price level is above the national average (index 111.887, where 100 = U.S. average). Adjusted for that, the median salary has the purchasing power of $108,815 at the national price level.
This is a Career Atlas USA calculation based on BLS wage data and BEA Regional Price Parities. It is not a separate BLS wage estimate. Wage data: May 2025. Cost-of-living data: 2024.
Sources
Wage data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — May 2025 (release 25).
Figures shown as “Not available” reflect wages the source does not publish (e.g. suppressed for reliability), not zero.