Senior Systems Engineer / Architect salary in San Diego, CA
Based on 87 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Carlsbad, Poway, Vista, San Marcos, Escondido.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $108,971 |
| 25th | $115,049 |
| 50th (median) | $129,600 |
| 75th | $145,321 |
| 90th | $165,372 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $100,100 | $93,956 | $119,641 | 55 |
| FY2021 | $103,618 | $95,355 | $122,612 | 67 |
| FY2022 | $115,000 | $100,000 | $135,437 | 91 |
| FY2023 | $111,280 | $99,341 | $143,910 | 41 |
| FY2024 | $125,000 | $111,280 | $140,000 | 53 |
| FY2025 | $124,740 | $109,000 | $139,000 | 57 |
| FY2026 | $134,800 | $120,824 | $152,801 | 30 |
Cost of living
San Diego's median senior Systems Engineer / Architect salary of $129,600 is worth about $115,800 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Diego = 111.9).
Compared with all workers here
All Computer Systems Engineers/Architects in the San Diego, CA area earned a median of $127,600 in May 2025 (7,340 employed). The H-1B median here is $129,600, 2% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Apple | too few | 9 |
| Cognizant | too few | 8 |
| Amazon | too few | 5 |
| Calpine | too few | 3 |
| HCLTech | too few | 2 |
| IBM | too few | 2 |
| Qualcomm | too few | 2 |
| App Studio 35 | too few | 2 |
| Concentrix CVG Customer Management Group | too few | 2 |
| Customized Services Administrators, Incorporated | 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 | $64,272 | 37 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $92,622 | 129 |
| Senior · Level III | $129,600 | 87 |
| Expert · Level IV | $148,928 | 137 |
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 | $53,123 | $64,272 | 37 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $81,058 | $92,622 | 129 |
| Senior · Level III | $108,971 | $129,600 | 87 |
| Expert · Level IV | $136,906 | $148,928 | 137 |
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.