Senior Validation Engineer salary in San Diego, CA
Based on 25 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes La Jolla, Chula Vista, Carlsbad, El Cajon, Solana Beach.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $124,030 |
| 25th | $129,625 |
| 50th (median) | $134,800 |
| 75th | $139,500 |
| 90th | $160,650 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $112,133 | $109,060 | $115,883 | 12 |
| FY2021 | $120,000 | $115,000 | $128,266 | 15 |
| FY2022 | $125,000 | $121,800 | $140,000 | 17 |
| FY2023 | $128,350 | $114,829 | $145,238 | 12 |
| FY2024 | $129,625 | $123,250 | $140,271 | 10 |
| FY2025 | $133,400 | $129,625 | $139,425 | 20 |
| FY2026 | – | – | – | 5 |
Cost of living
San Diego's median senior Validation Engineer salary of $134,800 is worth about $120,500 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Diego = 111.9).
Compared with all workers here
All Validation Engineers in the San Diego, CA area earned a median of $132,790 in May 2025 (3,570 employed). The H-1B median here is $134,800, 2% higher.
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
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | too few | 2 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $121,000 | 31 |
| Senior · Level III | $134,800 | 25 |
| Expert · Level IV | $166,600 | 11 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mid-level · Level II | $102,835 | $121,000 | 31 |
| Senior · Level III | $124,030 | $134,800 | 25 |
| Expert · Level IV | $145,205 | $166,600 | 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.