Industrial Designer salary in San Diego, CA
Based on 16 certified H-1B filings in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Carlsbad, San Dieggo, Vista.
Also listed as: Technical Designer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $99,300 |
| 25th | $109,000 |
| 50th (median) | $114,899 |
| 75th | $127,025 |
| 90th | $149,137 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 6 |
| FY2021 | $69,170 | $66,979 | $103,750 | 12 |
| FY2022 | $85,331 | $69,992 | $110,000 | 14 |
| FY2023 | – | – | – | 3 |
| FY2024 | – | – | – | 9 |
| FY2025 | $114,950 | $110,000 | $127,025 | 12 |
| FY2026 | – | – | – | 4 |
Cost of living
San Diego's median Industrial Designer salary of $114,899 is worth about $102,700 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Diego = 111.9).
Compared with all workers here
All Commercial and Industrial Designers in the San Diego, CA area earned a median of $99,650 in May 2025 (430 employed). The H-1B median here is $114,899, 15% 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
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America | too few | 3 |
| Nissan North America | too few | 3 |
| 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 | – | 0 |
| Mid-level · Level II | too few | 2 |
| Senior · Level III | – | 0 |
| Expert · Level IV | too few | 4 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.