Entry-level Operations Research Analyst salary in San Diego, CA

Based on 15 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Oceanside, San Marcos, Carlsbad, Chula Vista, San Francsico.

Also listed as: Data Analyst

Median salary$76,320
Middle 50%$68.6k–$88.6k
vs. all levels here−39%comparison median $125,000
Filings15FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $67,297 and $144,300.
PercentileSalary
10th$68,120
25th$68,560
50th (median)$76,320
75th$88,600
90th$124,826

Salary by year

Median salary

$50k $65k $80k FY2020: median $65,500 (12 filings) FY2023: median $66,308 (14 filings) FY2024: median $70,900 (12 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 12 filings FY20 FY2021: 7 filings FY21 FY2022: 7 filings FY22 FY2023: 14 filings FY23 FY2024: 12 filings FY24 FY2025: 9 filings FY25 FY2026: 6 filings FY26 14
Shaded: FY2025–FY2026, the years behind the figures above. Median shown for years with at least 10 filings. FY2026 covers Q1–Q3 only.
Show as table
Fiscal yearMedianP25P75Filings
FY2020$65,500$58,843$77,96612
FY2021–––7
FY2022–––7
FY2023$66,308$62,816$72,47514
FY2024$70,900$63,404$85,00012
FY2025–––9
FY2026–––6

Cost of living

San Diego's median entry-level Operations Research Analyst salary of $76,320 is worth about $68,200 at national average prices.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Diego = 111.9).

Compared with all workers here

All Operations Research Analysts in the San Diego, CA area earned a median of $99,230 in May 2025 (1,280 employed). The H-1B median here is $76,320, 23% 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

EmployerMedianFilings
EDF Renewablestoo few2
Midland Credit Managementtoo few2

Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I $76,320 15
Mid-level · Level II $111,324 28
Senior · Level III $134,687 20
Expert · Level IV $177,784 19

Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.

Minimum H-1B salary by level

Wage levelPrevailing wage (most common)Median offered salaryFilings
Entry-level · Level I$68,120$76,32015
Mid-level · Level II$85,883$111,32428
Senior · Level III$103,646$134,68720
Expert · Level IV$119,517$177,78419

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.