Entry-level Civil Engineer salary in San Diego, CA
Based on 29 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Chula Vista, Poway, Encinitas, El Cajon, Escondido.
Also listed as: Structural Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $76,960 |
| 25th | $79,040 |
| 50th (median) | $80,163 |
| 75th | $86,400 |
| 90th | $91,415 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $65,489 | $62,518 | $69,785 | 12 |
| FY2021 | $70,000 | $64,293 | $73,185 | 12 |
| FY2022 | $75,100 | $71,145 | $79,752 | 14 |
| FY2023 | $80,000 | $76,400 | $81,466 | 10 |
| FY2024 | – | – | – | 9 |
| FY2025 | $82,560 | $77,500 | $86,350 | 19 |
| FY2026 | $80,163 | $80,163 | $87,685 | 10 |
Cost of living
San Diego's median entry-level Civil Engineer salary of $80,163 is worth about $71,600 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Diego = 111.9).
Compared with all workers here
All Civil Engineers in the San Diego, CA area earned a median of $108,900 in May 2025 (5,620 employed). The H-1B median here is $80,163, 26% lower.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| International Bridge Technologies | too few | 3 |
| AECOM Technical Services | too few | 2 |
| Arcadis | too few | 2 |
| HDR Engineering | too few | 2 |
| Moffatt & Nichol | too few | 2 |
| Villa Civil APC | 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 | $80,163 | 29 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $100,069 | 37 |
| Senior · Level III | $119,500 | 14 |
| Expert · Level IV | $143,600 | 14 |
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 | $76,960 | $80,163 | 29 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $98,322 | $100,069 | 37 |
| Senior · Level III | $108,035 | $119,500 | 14 |
| Expert · Level IV | $134,659 | $143,600 | 14 |
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.