Mid-level Systems Engineer salary in San Diego, CA

Based on 18 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level II in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Poway, Carlsbad.

Median salary$123,940
Middle 50%$119.4k–$128.9k
vs. all levels here+4%comparison median $119,434
Filings18FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $85,124 and $151,065.
PercentileSalary
10th$107,482
25th$119,434
50th (median)$123,940
75th$128,898
90th$128,898

Salary by year

Median salary

$90k $110k $130k FY2020: median $108,930 (21 filings) FY2021: median $108,930 (16 filings) FY2022: median $102,200 (23 filings) FY2023: median $104,562 (28 filings) FY2024: median $112,882 (27 filings) FY2025: median $119,434 (15 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 21 filings FY20 FY2021: 16 filings FY21 FY2022: 23 filings FY22 FY2023: 28 filings FY23 FY2024: 27 filings FY24 FY2025: 15 filings FY25 FY2026: 3 filings FY26 28
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$108,930$96,616$108,97121
FY2021$108,930$106,500$108,93016
FY2022$102,200$101,192$103,48123
FY2023$104,562$104,562$104,56228
FY2024$112,882$112,882$123,09927
FY2025$119,434$115,430$128,16015
FY2026–––3

Cost of living

San Diego's median mid-level Systems Engineer salary of $123,940 is worth about $110,800 at national average prices.

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

Employers filing at this level

EmployerMedianFilings
Qualcomm$128,89810
Invencestoo few2

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

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I $62,400 15
Mid-level · Level II $123,940 18
Senior · Level III $143,187 18
Expert · Level IV too few 3

Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.