Materials Engineer salary in San Diego, CA
Based on 30 certified H-1B filings in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes La Jolla, Carlsbad.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $99,500 |
| 25th | $118,504 |
| 50th (median) | $139,500 |
| 75th | $146,250 |
| 90th | $170,160 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 8 |
| FY2021 | – | – | – | 7 |
| FY2022 | $110,300 | $91,500 | $130,819 | 19 |
| FY2023 | $113,500 | $95,813 | $119,425 | 15 |
| FY2024 | $101,200 | $87,131 | $131,500 | 17 |
| FY2025 | – | – | – | 8 |
| FY2026 | $139,500 | $120,765 | $145,188 | 22 |
Cost of living
San Diego's median Materials Engineer salary of $139,500 is worth about $124,700 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Diego = 111.9).
Compared with all workers here
All Materials Engineers in the San Diego, CA area earned a median of $124,180 in May 2025 (260 employed). The H-1B median here is $139,500, 12% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Apple | $139,500 | 10 |
| Asml | too few | 4 |
| Cymer | too few | 4 |
| Tyfast Energy | too few | 2 |
| University Of California, San Diego | 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 | 8 |
| Senior · Level III | $121,000 | 11 |
| Expert · Level IV | too few | 2 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senior · Level III | $120,765 | $121,000 | 11 |
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.