HR Specialist salary in San Diego, CA

Based on 13 certified H-1B filings in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Escondido, Chula Vista, El Cajon.

Also listed as: Recruiter

Median salary$85,000
Middle 50%$80k–$100.4k
vs. national median+6%comparison median $80,000
Filings13FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $68,216 and $187,088.
PercentileSalary
10th$71,532
25th$80,000
50th (median)$85,000
75th$100,428
90th$110,000

Cost of living

San Diego's median HR Specialist salary of $85,000 is worth about $76,000 at national average prices.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Diego = 111.9).

Compared with all workers here

All Human Resources Specialists in the San Diego, CA area earned a median of $81,300 in May 2025 (9,110 employed). The H-1B median here is $85,000, 5% higher.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.

Top employers filing

EmployerMedianFilings
Engine Room Consulting Servicestoo few2
Intellipro Grouptoo few2
VAStektoo few2

Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I – 0
Mid-level · Level II too few 2
Senior · Level III – 0
Expert · Level IV too few 2

Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.