Jobs, pay and daily life in San Diego, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click a state or a city. States: Alabama · Alaska · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · District of Columbia · Florida · Georgia · Hawaii · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Minnesota · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania · Rhode Island · South Carolina · South Dakota · Tennessee · Texas · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · Washington · West Virginia · Wisconsin · Wyoming.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
San Diego is a city in California with 1,404,461 residents. The median household earns $111,032 a year and the median rent is $2,414 a month, which is 26.1% of the median household income. It is part of the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metropolitan area, where BLS counts 1,538,060 jobs.
Federal jobs in California (1,716) →State guide: CaliforniaCountry guide
There are 1,716 federal postings open in California (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in California →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 57,080 | 1.34 | $35,300 | $34,940 | $40,850 | -1% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 42,550 | 1.12 | $42,190 | $35,510 | $47,200 | +35% |
| Retail Salespersons | 34,390 | 0.89 | $37,810 | $35,470 | $49,320 | +7% |
| Cashiers | 30,420 | 1.00 | $37,020 | $35,090 | $49,070 | +13% |
| Registered Nurses | 28,680 | 0.86 | $139,520 | $102,480 | $175,210 | +43% |
| Office Clerks, General | 28,470 | 1.17 | $49,920 | $36,410 | $64,000 | +11% |
| General and Operations Managers | 26,230 | 0.76 | $119,600 | $58,370 | $267,090 | +13% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 24,050 | 1.07 | $35,850 | $34,820 | $82,800 | +2% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 21,950 | 0.75 | $43,320 | $36,420 | $57,980 | +8% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 21,700 | 0.99 | $38,450 | $35,580 | $51,260 | +4% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 21,220 | 0.76 | $39,160 | $36,040 | $55,120 | +5% |
| Software Developers | 20,610 | 1.23 | $163,270 | $95,420 | $223,260 | +20% |
| Security Guards | 16,090 | 1.27 | $38,500 | $36,090 | $53,310 | +1% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 15,690 | 1.46 | $96,580 | $49,590 | $160,570 | +16% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 15,670 | 1.12 | $46,440 | $37,840 | $51,820 | +24% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 14,030 | 0.55 | $48,730 | $37,710 | $72,170 | +9% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 13,450 | 0.94 | $96,340 | $62,520 | $157,720 | +15% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 13,260 | 0.94 | $46,440 | $36,540 | $56,870 | +26% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 12,920 | 1.07 | $46,980 | $37,910 | $72,700 | +7% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 12,830 | 0.94 | $58,580 | $40,220 | $82,350 | +16% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | 4,200 | 1.24 | $323,050 | $123,770 | $391,440 | +21% |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 1,360 | 1.28 | $295,530 | $149,290 | $493,980 | +21% |
| Pediatricians, General | 630 | 1.62 | $262,650 | $158,110 | $358,320 | +25% |
| Chief Executives | 2,710 | 1.34 | $238,440 | $85,510 | $493,480 | +11% |
| Natural Sciences Managers | 2,890 | 2.69 | $207,200 | $132,560 | $319,260 | +24% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 7,250 | 1.09 | $206,740 | $127,840 | $304,530 | +18% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 3,270 | 1.50 | $202,810 | $134,660 | $283,130 | +18% |
| Lawyers | 8,020 | 1.07 | $178,220 | $104,140 | $336,590 | +12% |
| Marketing Managers | 3,790 | 0.97 | $174,840 | $99,510 | $305,740 | +5% |
| Computer Hardware Engineers | 3,330 | 4.39 | $174,440 | $122,910 | $227,940 | +8% |
| Financial Managers | 7,350 | 0.88 | $174,210 | $100,950 | $326,930 | +5% |
| Managers, All Other | 9,370 | 1.52 | $169,240 | $98,390 | $276,310 | +19% |
| Physician Assistants | 1,370 | 0.86 | $165,160 | $109,750 | $214,570 | +22% |
| Pharmacists | 2,840 | 0.89 | $165,130 | $131,400 | $214,480 | +17% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 2,340 | 0.73 | $163,860 | $131,380 | $215,640 | +24% |
| Software Developers | 20,610 | 1.23 | $163,270 | $95,420 | $223,260 | +20% |
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | 2,370 | 0.73 | $163,200 | $102,670 | $201,970 | +54% |
| Human Resources Managers | 2,300 | 1.05 | $163,190 | $97,050 | $282,400 | +9% |
| Veterinarians | 1,080 | 1.30 | $159,750 | $67,540 | $276,230 | +23% |
| Purchasing Managers | 680 | 0.82 | $158,620 | $99,470 | $226,910 | +7% |
These figures are for the whole San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $58,690 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.7% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 24.1% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 20.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 10.6% |
| Manufacturing | 9.4% |
| Retail trade | 8.3% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 6.4% |
| Construction | 4.8% |
| Public administration | 4.7% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 4.1% |
| Other services | 3.8% |
| Information | 1.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.6% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.3% |
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 65.0% |
| Public transit | 2.6% |
| Walk | 3.8% |
| Work from home | 18.0% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 10.1% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $111,032 |
| Income per person | $58,812 |
| Median gross rent per month | $2,414 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 26.1% |
| Median home value | $980,700 |
| Homeowners | 46.5% |
| Poverty rate | 10.4% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 111.9 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $58,690 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 13.30%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 36.6 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 90.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 53.6% |
| Born abroad | 26.6% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 65.6% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11.0 | 52 | 54 |
| Feb | 11.3 | 52 | 70 |
| Mar | 13.1 | 56 | 35 |
| Apr | 14.5 | 58 | 22 |
| May | 17.1 | 63 | 9 |
| Jun | 20.6 | 69 | 2 |
| Jul | 24.5 | 76 | 6 |
| Aug | 24.9 | 77 | 6 |
| Sep | 23.4 | 74 | 7 |
| Oct | 19.0 | 66 | 18 |
| Nov | 14.7 | 58 | 30 |
| Dec | 10.7 | 51 | 61 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chula Vista | CA | 15 mi | 276,375 | $108,032 | $2,229 |
| Escondido | CA | 22 mi | 149,668 | $91,967 | $2,046 |
| Oceanside | CA | 30 mi | 172,242 | $97,737 | $2,303 |
| Irvine | CA | 70 mi | 311,690 | $136,719 | $2,997 |
| Corona | CA | 76 mi | 159,670 | $109,242 | $2,228 |
| Moreno Valley | CA | 77 mi | 211,666 | $93,222 | $2,135 |
| Santa Ana | CA | 77 mi | 312,534 | $93,999 | $2,082 |
| Huntington Beach | CA | 79 mi | 195,240 | $120,919 | $2,510 |
| Riverside | CA | 79 mi | 323,792 | $90,004 | $2,060 |
| Orange | CA | 79 mi | 138,266 | $117,113 | $2,327 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
1,404,461 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$2,414 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 26.1% of the median household income.
$111,032 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.7% (BLS metro area 2026M09).
California. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.