Sales Engineers pay range in San Diego
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $76,350 a year or less, while the top 10% make $186,590 or more. The middle half of sales engineers in San Diego earn between $92,320 and $152,650.
- $76K10th
- $92K25th
- $123KMedian
- $153K75th
- $187K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $127,090 | $10,591 | $61.10 |
| Median | $122,610 | $10,218 | $58.95 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $92,320 | $7,693 | $44.38 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $152,650 | $12,721 | $73.39 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Sales Engineers pay in San Diego vs. California and the U.S.
Sales engineers in San Diego earn 13% less than the California average ($146,590) and about the same as the U.S. average ($130,140). At the median the gap is -2% against the U.S. median of $124,900.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego | $127,090 | $122,610 | $76,350 | $186,590 | 360 |
| California | $146,590 | $139,160 | $78,850 | $213,370 | 6,310 |
| United States | $130,140 | $124,900 | $73,870 | $195,270 | 51,790 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Sales Engineers salary after taxes in San Diego
On the average salary of $127,090, a single filer in San Diego takes home about $90,405 a year, or $7,534 a month and $3,477 every two weeks. Taxes take 29% 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 sales engineers? 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 $127,090 buys what about $113,588 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.1 times the median wage of all jobs in San Diego ($58,690). A typical home costs $946,365, or 7.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Sales Engineers salary in other California cities
San Diego ranks 8th of 12 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($180,170).
- San Jose$180,170
- San Luis Obispo$172,040
- San Francisco$154,650
- Santa Maria$146,280
- Sacramento$140,470
- Bakersfield$133,280
- Oxnard$127,420
- San Diego$127,090
- Los Angeles$125,150
- Santa Rosa$121,840
Highest-paying cities for sales engineers
Durham, NC pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($183,510).
- Durham, NC$183,510
- San Jose, CA$180,170
- Ocala, FL$176,450
- San Luis Obispo, CA$172,040
- Sarasota, FL$167,860
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Sales Engineers salary in San Diego: questions
How much do sales engineers make an hour in San Diego?
$61.10 an hour on average, and $58.95 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level sales engineers salary in San Diego?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $76,350 a year and the 25th percentile is $92,320, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the sales engineers take-home pay in San Diego?
About $90,405 a year ($7,534 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $127,090. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do sales engineers earn more in San Diego than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as the U.S. average for this job ($130,140).
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 41-9031; area San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA (41740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.1%.
- 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 0.70, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.70).
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