Industrial Engineer salary in San Diego, CA
Based on 182 certified H-1B filings in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Carlsbad, Oceanside, Vista, Escondido, Chula Vista.
Also listed as: Manufacturing Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $81,245 |
| 25th | $94,578 |
| 50th (median) | $111,966 |
| 75th | $129,900 |
| 90th | $149,500 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $97,614 | $82,888 | $112,125 | 36 |
| FY2021 | $98,467 | $83,741 | $115,000 | 53 |
| FY2022 | $100,140 | $83,000 | $125,000 | 85 |
| FY2023 | $106,371 | $90,459 | $120,956 | 88 |
| FY2024 | $97,375 | $93,184 | $123,115 | 93 |
| FY2025 | $100,871 | $94,578 | $129,355 | 124 |
| FY2026 | $121,846 | $102,094 | $142,147 | 58 |
Cost of living
San Diego's median Industrial Engineer salary of $111,966 is worth about $100,100 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Diego = 111.9).
Compared with all workers here
All Industrial Engineers in the San Diego, CA area earned a median of $119,050 in May 2025 (3,990 employed). The H-1B median here is $111,966, 6% lower.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Asml | $102,198 | 14 |
| Illumina | $103,573 | 14 |
| Bcvs | $78,177 | 12 |
| Qualcomm | too few | 8 |
| GenMark Diagnostics | too few | 8 |
| VAStek | too few | 7 |
| Genentech | too few | 6 |
| Tesla | too few | 6 |
| Apple | too few | 5 |
| Becton, Dickinson and Company | too few | 5 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $81,245 | 37 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $100,000 | 66 |
| Senior · Level III | $121,846 | 44 |
| Expert · Level IV | $142,147 | 34 |
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 | $77,189 | $81,245 | 37 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $94,578 | $100,000 | 66 |
| Senior · Level III | $121,846 | $121,846 | 44 |
| Expert · Level IV | $129,355 | $142,147 | 34 |
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.