Chief Executives pay range in San Diego
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $85,510 a year or less, while the top 10% make $493,480 or more. The middle half of chief executives in San Diego earn between $155,810 and $387,130.
- $86K10th
- $156K25th
- $238KMedian
- $387K75th
- $493K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $281,170 | $23,431 | $135.18 |
| Median | $238,440 | $19,870 | $114.63 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $155,810 | $12,984 | $74.91 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $387,130 | $32,261 | $186.12 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Chief Executives pay in San Diego vs. California and the U.S.
Chief executives in San Diego earn 3% more than the California average ($272,920) and 4% more than the U.S. average ($269,630). At the median the gap is +11% against the U.S. median of $213,990.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego | $281,170 | $238,440 | $85,510 | $493,480 | 2,710 |
| California | $272,920 | $218,600 | $85,790 | $486,830 | 34,700 |
| United States | $269,630 | $213,990 | $75,700 | $507,730 | 204,350 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Chief Executives salary after taxes in San Diego
On the average salary of $281,170, a single filer in San Diego takes home about $181,323 a year, or $15,110 a month and $6,974 every two weeks. Taxes take 36% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is San Diego a good place for chief executives? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Diego area are 12% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 111.9), so the average $281,170 buys what about $251,298 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 4.1 times the median wage of all jobs in San Diego ($58,690). A typical home costs $946,365, or 3.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Chief Executives salary in other California cities
San Diego ranks 3rd of 24 California metro areas for this job; San Francisco pays the most ($320,210).
- San Francisco$320,210
- Los Angeles$302,780
- San Diego$281,170
- Napa$275,720
- Oxnard$253,100
- Santa Rosa$252,630
- Salinas$250,760
- Modesto$250,390
- Santa Cruz$246,710
- Stockton$243,950
Highest-paying cities for chief executives
Medford, OR pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($503,650).
- Medford, OR$503,650
- Midland, MI$493,680
- Bridgeport, CT$447,290
- Durham, NC$425,580
- Portland, OR$420,320
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Chief Executives salary in San Diego: questions
How much do chief executives make an hour in San Diego?
$135.18 an hour on average, and $114.64 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level chief executives salary in San Diego?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $85,510 a year and the 25th percentile is $155,810, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the chief executives take-home pay in San Diego?
About $181,323 a year ($15,110 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $281,170. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do chief executives earn more in San Diego than elsewhere?
The average here is 4% more than the U.S. average for this job ($269,630).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 11-1011; area San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA (41740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.3%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.34, this job is 1.3 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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