Senior Systems Engineer salary in San Diego, CA
Based on 18 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Poway, Carlsbad.
Median salary$143,187
Middle 50%$134.9k–$146.8k
vs. all levels here+20%comparison median $119,434
Filings18FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years
Salary range
All levels here
$100k$110k$120k$130k$140k$150k$160k$170k
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $116,953 |
| 25th | $134,945 |
| 50th (median) | $143,187 |
| 75th | $146,797 |
| 90th | $154,029 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $128,149 | $125,000 | $128,149 | 11 |
| FY2021 | $128,835 | $128,835 | $128,835 | 10 |
| FY2022 | $119,891 | $119,891 | $120,224 | 17 |
| FY2023 | $126,000 | $124,285 | $126,000 | 12 |
| FY2024 | – | – | – | 6 |
| FY2025 | $143,187 | $129,100 | $143,187 | 12 |
| FY2026 | – | – | – | 6 |
Cost of living
San Diego's median senior Systems Engineer salary of $143,187 is worth about $128,000 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Diego = 111.9).
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Qualcomm | too few | 6 |
| Maxlinear | too few | 4 |
| Gamma Scientific | too few | 2 |
| Sony Interactive Entertainment | 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 | $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.