Chemical Engineer salary in San Diego, CA
Based on 12 certified H-1B filings in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Carlsbad, Oceanside, Solana Beach.
Also listed as: Process Engineer
Median salary$133,893
Middle 50%$120.2k–$160.8k
vs. national median+13%comparison median $118,700
Filings12FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years
Salary range
National median
$50k$75k$100k$125k$150k$175k$200k$225k
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $94,130 |
| 25th | $120,239 |
| 50th (median) | $133,893 |
| 75th | $160,753 |
| 90th | $182,801 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $95,000 | $92,133 | $115,297 | 11 |
| FY2021 | $117,745 | $110,000 | $135,242 | 10 |
| FY2022 | – | – | – | 8 |
| FY2023 | $120,000 | $102,696 | $128,107 | 11 |
| FY2024 | $92,768 | $92,768 | $109,491 | 12 |
| FY2025 | – | – | – | 8 |
| FY2026 | – | – | – | 4 |
Cost of living
San Diego's median Chemical Engineer salary of $133,893 is worth about $119,700 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Diego = 111.9).
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Illumina | 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 | – | 0 |
| Mid-level · Level II | – | 0 |
| Senior · Level III | – | 0 |
| Expert · Level IV | – | 0 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.