Research Scientist (Computer Science) salary in San Diego, CA
Based on 147 certified H-1B filings in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes La Jolla.
Also listed as: Machine Learning Engineer, AI Researcher
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $110,323 |
| 25th | $148,735 |
| 50th (median) | $169,320 |
| 75th | $183,341 |
| 90th | $200,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $118,288 | $102,502 | $149,600 | 50 |
| FY2021 | $102,835 | $102,835 | $151,200 | 93 |
| FY2022 | $120,500 | $110,136 | $153,250 | 100 |
| FY2023 | $140,067 | $114,920 | $166,200 | 89 |
| FY2024 | $154,500 | $140,000 | $174,429 | 45 |
| FY2025 | $161,041 | $139,250 | $177,938 | 52 |
| FY2026 | $170,900 | $155,500 | $183,921 | 95 |
Cost of living
San Diego's median Research Scientist (Computer Science) salary of $169,320 is worth about $151,300 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Diego = 111.9).
Compared with all workers here
All Computer and Information Research Scientists in the San Diego, CA area earned a median of $121,530 in May 2025 (1,680 employed). The H-1B median here is $169,320, 39% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $170,000 | 82 |
| University Of California, San Diego | too few | 6 |
| ByteDance | too few | 5 |
| Comma.ai | too few | 3 |
| Lytx | too few | 3 |
| too few | 2 | |
| Intel | too few | 2 |
| AIcadium | too few | 2 |
| Comoco Labs | too few | 2 |
| Helport AI | 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 | $165,000 | 29 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $170,000 | 63 |
| Senior · Level III | $171,700 | 34 |
| Expert · Level IV | $200,000 | 15 |
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 | $75,982 | $165,000 | 29 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $102,149 | $170,000 | 63 |
| Senior · Level III | $128,294 | $171,700 | 34 |
| Expert · Level IV | $154,461 | $200,000 | 15 |
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.