Entry-level Electronics Engineer salary in San Diego, CA
Based on 27 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Carlsbad, Del Mar, Santee, San Marcos, Poway.
Also listed as: Hardware Engineer, Hardware Engineer Electronics
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $95,680 |
| 25th | $97,090 |
| 50th (median) | $108,000 |
| 75th | $125,895 |
| 90th | $139,500 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $90,000 | $89,814 | $90,000 | 30 |
| FY2021 | $90,000 | $89,003 | $94,750 | 20 |
| FY2022 | $89,600 | $85,000 | $89,600 | 11 |
| FY2023 | $92,000 | $92,000 | $92,000 | 14 |
| FY2024 | – | – | – | 9 |
| FY2025 | $95,680 | $95,680 | $106,000 | 13 |
| FY2026 | $125,895 | $109,925 | $139,500 | 14 |
Cost of living
San Diego's median entry-level Electronics Engineer salary of $108,000 is worth about $96,500 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Diego = 111.9).
Compared with all workers here
All Electronics Engineers, Except Computer in the San Diego, CA area earned a median of $156,480 in May 2025 (3,450 employed). The H-1B median here is $108,000, 31% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Apple | too few | 6 |
| Nxp | too few | 5 |
| Medley Networks | too few | 4 |
| Qualcomm | too few | 2 |
| Psemi | too few | 2 |
| Zef Scientific | 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 | $108,000 | 27 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $119,434 | 597 |
| Senior · Level III | $145,650 | 302 |
| Expert · Level IV | $176,134 | 332 |
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 | $105,269 | $108,000 | 27 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $119,434 | $119,434 | 597 |
| Senior · Level III | $143,187 | $145,650 | 302 |
| Expert · Level IV | $166,941 | $176,134 | 332 |
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.