Mechanical Engineer San Diego, CA
Mechanical Engineer salary in San Diego, CA
Typical pay
$145,000a year
Most Mechanical Engineers earn $111k to $164k a year
From 89 current job postings, updated Nov 9, 2026 Pay that employers list in their job postings
The median Mechanical Engineer salary in San Diego, CA is $145,000 a year. Most job postings pay $110,500 to $164,300. From 89 current job postings, updated Nov 9, 2026.
149 open jobs. See them
Typical pay by city in California
Back to the whole USCalifornia
$151k typical, most $128k to $175k
| San Jose, CA | $167k | $139k to $200k | 263 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $160k | $143k to $183k | 197 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $148k | $132k to $150k | 15 |
| San Diego, CA | $145k | $111k to $164k | 89 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $143k | $123k to $168k | 496 |
| Oxnard, CA | $133k | $104k to $152k | 20 |
| Sacramento, CA | $125k | $108k to $148k | 24 |
| Bakersfield, CA | – | – | 7 |
| Chico, CA | – | – | 0 |
| El Centro, CA | – | – | 4 |
| Fresno, CA | – | – | 0 |
| Modesto, CA | – | – | 0 |
| Napa, CA | – | – | 0 |
| Redding, CA | – | – | 0 |
| Riverside, CA | – | – | 6 |
| Salinas, CA | – | – | 1 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | – | – | 9 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | – | – | 2 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | – | – | 5 |
| Stockton, CA | – | – | 0 |
| Vallejo, CA | – | – | 5 |
Pay advertised in current postings, per year. Postings are those that list pay.
Pay by experience level
What most job postings pay at each stage. The dot is typical pay.
- Starting out 4 job postings
Not enough postings yet (we show pay once 10 postings list it)
- Experienced 24 job postings$100k $133k
Typical: $126k
- Senior 43 job postings$137k $169k
Typical: $151k
- Lead or manager 5 job postings
Not enough postings yet (we show pay once 10 postings list it)
Where would you land?
Pick your level to see what most Mechanical Engineer job postings in San Diego, CA pay at it.
Senior: most postings pay $137k to $169k a year, typically $151k.
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Pay by employer and level
Typical yearly pay at the employers with the most postings that list pay. A dash means fewer than 10 of their postings at that level list pay.
Not enough postings yet to show pay by employer here. We list an employer once 10 of its postings list pay.
How much does a Mechanical Engineer make in San Diego, CA?
Employers hiring now typically offer $145,000 a year for Mechanical Engineer roles in San Diego, CA. These numbers come from the pay employers list in their job postings, so they show what is on offer today rather than what people earned last year. We only show a number when at least 10 postings list pay.
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