Civil Engineer Salary in San Diego, CA
Civil Engineers in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area earn a median $108,900 a year — 8% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $78,127 take-home, or $6,511 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median civil engineer salary in San Diego, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$15,128
- Social Security (6.2%)$6,752
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,579
- California income tax$5,898
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$1,416
- Take-home pay$78,127
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 9.30% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Civil Engineer pay by experience in San Diego, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $79,410 | $38.18 | $60,507 | $5,042 |
| 25th percentile | $93,650 | $45.02 | $69,015 | $5,751 |
| Median (50th) | $108,900 | $52.36 | $78,127 | $6,511 |
| 75th percentile | $133,450 | $64.16 | $92,563 | $7,714 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $166,430 | $80.01 | $111,609 | $9,301 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $108,900 buys in San Diego, CA
Prices in San Diego, CA are 11.9% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.79× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median civil engineer's $78,127 take-home pay has the buying power of $69,827 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
San Diego, CA has 1.5× the national concentration of civil engineer jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for civil engineers, adjusted for cost of living
San Diego, CA ranks #28 of 33 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sacramento, CA | $130,150 | $90,657 | $84,988 |
| 2 | San Jose, CA | $130,280 | $90,732 | $82,168 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $116,480 | $90,774 | $81,680 |
| 4 | Austin, TX | $100,470 | $79,511 | $81,079 |
| 5 | Houston, TX | $100,950 | $79,848 | $80,958 |
| 6 | Pittsburgh, PA | $100,680 | $76,568 | $80,877 |
| 7 | Kansas City, MO | $98,860 | $74,669 | $80,686 |
| 8 | Columbus, OH | $99,010 | $76,543 | $80,176 |
| 28 | San Diego, CA | $108,900 | $78,127 | $69,827 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 33 metros →
About the job: civil engineers
Perform engineering duties in planning, designing, and overseeing construction and maintenance of building structures and facilities, such as roads, railroads, airports, bridges, harbors, channels, dams, irrigation projects, pipelines, power plants, and water and sewage systems.
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +6.4% (faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Civil Engineer salaries elsewhere in California
- Sacramento, CA — $130,150
- San Jose, CA — $130,280
- San Francisco, CA — $130,160
- Riverside, CA — $115,120
- Los Angeles, CA — $108,640
Frequently asked questions
How much does a civil engineer make in San Diego, CA?
The median civil engineer salary in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area is $108,900 a year, or about $52.36 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $93,650 and $133,450.
What is a civil engineer’s take-home pay in San Diego, CA?
On the median $108,900 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $78,127 a year ($6,511 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $7,314 in California taxes in 2026.
Is San Diego, CA a good place to work as a civil engineer?
Pay here is 8% above the national median of $100,840. Local prices are 11.9% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $69,827 would in a typical U.S. city. San Diego, CA ranks #28 of 33 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a civil engineer afford rent in San Diego, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in San Diego, CA is $2,459 a month ($3,001 for two bedrooms) — 38% of a median civil engineer’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in San Diego, CA
- Computer Hardware Engineer — $174,440
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer — $156,480
- Engineers, All Other — $132,790
- Electrical Engineer — $127,270
- Mechanical Engineer — $121,750
- Industrial Engineer — $119,050