Senior Industrial Engineer salary in San Diego, CA
Based on 44 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III 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 | $111,976 |
| 25th | $121,846 |
| 50th (median) | $121,846 |
| 75th | $135,000 |
| 90th | $151,374 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $98,392 | $97,623 | $99,133 | 10 |
| FY2021 | $103,682 | $99,783 | $115,000 | 12 |
| FY2022 | $110,000 | $99,800 | $125,000 | 17 |
| FY2023 | $108,139 | $106,371 | $111,075 | 23 |
| FY2024 | $112,625 | $108,160 | $128,000 | 21 |
| FY2025 | $121,846 | $112,625 | $130,000 | 25 |
| FY2026 | $121,846 | $121,846 | $135,000 | 19 |
Cost of living
San Diego's median senior Industrial Engineer salary of $121,846 is worth about $108,900 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 $121,846, 2% higher.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Qualcomm | too few | 6 |
| Tesla | too few | 4 |
| Apple | too few | 3 |
| Asml | too few | 3 |
| Dexcom | too few | 3 |
| Genentech | too few | 3 |
| Illumina | 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.