Expert Electrical Engineer salary in San Diego, CA
Based on 52 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Carlsbad, Chula Vista, San Marcos, Escondido, Poway.
Also listed as: Electrical Design Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $157,206 |
| 25th | $162,091 |
| 50th (median) | $166,600 |
| 75th | $171,600 |
| 90th | $207,530 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $116,667 | $116,667 | $125,000 | 25 |
| FY2021 | $137,000 | $123,132 | $147,500 | 39 |
| FY2022 | $170,000 | $142,640 | $180,307 | 48 |
| FY2023 | $165,499 | $150,972 | $192,500 | 40 |
| FY2024 | $161,700 | $157,001 | $180,000 | 23 |
| FY2025 | $166,600 | $157,206 | $166,600 | 33 |
| FY2026 | $171,600 | $171,600 | $175,800 | 19 |
Cost of living
San Diego's median expert Electrical Engineer salary of $166,600 is worth about $148,900 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Diego = 111.9).
Compared with all workers here
All Electrical Engineers in the San Diego, CA area earned a median of $127,270 in May 2025 (2,400 employed). The H-1B median here is $166,600, 31% 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 | $166,600 | 28 |
| Maxlinear | too few | 5 |
| Rohde & Schwarz | too few | 3 |
| Ansys | too few | 2 |
| Elder Technologies | too few | 2 |
| Globalstar | 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 | $90,480 | 25 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $111,000 | 66 |
| Senior · Level III | $136,989 | 75 |
| Expert · Level IV | $166,600 | 52 |
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 | $84,573 | $90,480 | 25 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $110,781 | $111,000 | 66 |
| Senior · Level III | $132,870 | $136,989 | 75 |
| Expert · Level IV | $157,206 | $166,600 | 52 |
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.