General and Operations Manager Salary in San Diego, CA
General and Operations Managers in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area earn a median $119,600 a year — 13% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $84,521 take-home, or $7,043 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median general and operations manager salary in San Diego, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$17,482
- Social Security (6.2%)$7,415
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,734
- California income tax$6,893
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$1,555
- Take-home pay$84,521
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 9.30% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
General and Operations Manager pay by experience in San Diego, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $58,370 | $28.06 | $46,770 | $3,897 |
| 25th percentile | $78,200 | $37.60 | $59,783 | $4,982 |
| Median (50th) | $119,600 | $57.50 | $84,521 | $7,043 |
| 75th percentile | $177,430 | $85.30 | $117,961 | $9,830 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $267,090+ | $128.41 | $170,320 | $14,193 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $119,600 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 general and operations manager's $84,521 take-home pay has the buying power of $75,541 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
General and Operations Manager jobs are less concentrated in San Diego, CA than nationally (location quotient 0.76), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for general and operations managers, adjusted for cost of living
San Diego, CA ranks #119 of 175 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trenton, NJ | $181,450 | $125,919 | $122,038 |
| 2 | Midland, TX | $132,420 | $101,775 | $106,256 |
| 3 | Huntsville, AL | $136,340 | $97,902 | $105,190 |
| 4 | Boulder, CO | $152,100 | $109,242 | $103,841 |
| 5 | Hartford, CT | $148,080 | $105,744 | $102,918 |
| 6 | Seattle, WA | $146,030 | $111,078 | $99,950 |
| 7 | San Jose, CA | $163,860 | $110,125 | $99,730 |
| 8 | Washington, DC | $156,460 | $107,876 | $99,074 |
| 119 | San Diego, CA | $119,600 | $84,521 | $75,541 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 175 metros →
About the job: general and operations managers
Plan, direct, or coordinate the operations of public or private sector organizations, overseeing multiple departments or locations. Duties and responsibilities include formulating policies, managing daily operations, and planning the use of materials and human resources, but are too diverse and general in nature to be classified in any one functional area of management or administration, such as personnel, purchasing, or administrative services. Usually manage through subordinate supervisors.
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- 5 years or more
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +5.0% (faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
General and Operations Manager salaries elsewhere in California
- San Jose, CA — $163,860
- San Francisco, CA — $149,990
- Sacramento, CA — $118,460
- Los Angeles, CA — $125,830
- Bakersfield, CA — $104,460
- Santa Maria, CA — $111,390
- Santa Rosa, CA — $109,970
- Modesto, CA — $104,330
Frequently asked questions
How much does a general and operations manager make in San Diego, CA?
The median general and operations manager salary in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area is $119,600 a year, or about $57.50 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $78,200 and $177,430.
What is a general and operations manager’s take-home pay in San Diego, CA?
On the median $119,600 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $84,521 a year ($7,043 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $8,448 in California taxes in 2026.
Is San Diego, CA a good place to work as a general and operations manager?
Pay here is 13% above the national median of $105,770. Local prices are 11.9% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $75,541 would in a typical U.S. city. San Diego, CA ranks #119 of 175 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a general and operations manager 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) — 35% of a median general and operations manager’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in San Diego, CA
- Chief Executive — $238,440
- Natural Sciences Manager — $207,200
- Computer and Information Systems Manager — $206,740
- Architectural and Engineering Manager — $202,810
- Marketing Manager — $174,840
- Financial Manager — $174,210
- Managers, All Other — $169,240
- Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary — $163,200
- Medical and Health Services Manager — $138,080
- Construction Manager — $133,210
- Administrative Services Manager — $122,000
- Sales Manager — $119,750