Senior Accountant salary in San Diego, CA
Based on 22 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes La Jolla, Solana Beach, Cardiff, Carlsbad, Imperial Beach.
Also listed as: Auditor, Tax Accountant
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $104,541 |
| 25th | $104,656 |
| 50th (median) | $113,915 |
| 75th | $146,804 |
| 90th | $160,100 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 8 |
| FY2021 | $100,116 | $97,000 | $103,625 | 10 |
| FY2022 | $113,558 | $94,800 | $120,000 | 17 |
| FY2023 | – | – | – | 7 |
| FY2024 | $125,512 | $108,500 | $129,329 | 10 |
| FY2025 | $109,040 | $104,656 | $135,210 | 14 |
| FY2026 | – | – | – | 8 |
Cost of living
San Diego's median senior Accountant salary of $113,915 is worth about $101,800 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Diego = 111.9).
Compared with all workers here
All Accountants and Auditors in the San Diego, CA area earned a median of $96,340 in May 2025 (13,450 employed). The H-1B median here is $113,915, 18% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| EY | too few | 6 |
| Qualcomm | too few | 2 |
| Bdo | too few | 2 |
| Belite Bio | too few | 2 |
| Hutchinson And Bloodgood | too few | 2 |
| Intuit | too few | 2 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $70,500 | 29 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $84,718 | 55 |
| Senior · Level III | $113,915 | 22 |
| Expert · Level IV | $145,835 | 10 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $63,274 | $70,500 | 29 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $80,912 | $84,718 | 55 |
| Senior · Level III | $98,571 | $113,915 | 22 |
| Expert · Level IV | $124,384 | $145,835 | 10 |
The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.