Entry-level Industrial Engineer salary in San Diego, CA
Based on 37 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I 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 | $77,189 |
| 25th | $77,189 |
| 50th (median) | $81,245 |
| 75th | $83,200 |
| 90th | $89,455 |
Cost of living
San Diego's median entry-level Industrial Engineer salary of $81,245 is worth about $72,600 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 $81,245, 32% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Bcvs | $78,177 | 12 |
| GenMark Diagnostics | too few | 4 |
| VAStek | too few | 4 |
| Spark Life Solutions | too few | 3 |
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.