Industrial Engineer Salary in San Diego, CA
Industrial Engineers in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area earn a median $119,050 a year — 16% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $84,192 take-home, or $7,016 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median industrial engineer salary in San Diego, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$17,361
- Social Security (6.2%)$7,381
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,726
- California income tax$6,842
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$1,548
- Take-home pay$84,192
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 9.30% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Industrial Engineer pay by experience in San Diego, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $73,530 | $35.35 | $56,932 | $4,744 |
| 25th percentile | $96,600 | $46.44 | $70,778 | $5,898 |
| Median (50th) | $119,050 | $57.24 | $84,192 | $7,016 |
| 75th percentile | $137,880 | $66.29 | $95,121 | $7,927 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $166,120 | $79.87 | $111,430 | $9,286 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $119,050 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 industrial engineer's $84,192 take-home pay has the buying power of $75,247 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Industrial Engineer jobs are about as common in San Diego, CA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.10).
Best-paying cities for industrial engineers, adjusted for cost of living
San Diego, CA ranks #25 of 30 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $131,210 | $100,948 | $90,835 |
| 2 | Houston, TX | $111,690 | $87,404 | $88,619 |
| 3 | San Jose, CA | $136,950 | $94,584 | $85,656 |
| 4 | Portland, OR | $129,890 | $89,487 | $84,886 |
| 5 | Cincinnati, OH | $105,140 | $80,687 | $84,604 |
| 6 | Austin, TX | $103,610 | $81,720 | $83,331 |
| 7 | Cleveland, OH | $99,300 | $76,739 | $81,704 |
| 8 | Columbus, OH | $100,570 | $77,598 | $81,281 |
| 25 | San Diego, CA | $119,050 | $84,192 | $75,247 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 30 metros →
About the job: industrial engineers
Design, develop, test, and evaluate integrated systems for managing industrial production processes, including human work factors, quality control, inventory control, logistics and material flow, cost analysis, and production coordination.
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +12.4% (much faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Industrial Engineer salaries elsewhere in California
- San Jose, CA — $136,950
- San Francisco, CA — $132,230
- Los Angeles, CA — $113,040
Frequently asked questions
How much does a industrial engineer make in San Diego, CA?
The median industrial engineer salary in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area is $119,050 a year, or about $57.24 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $96,600 and $137,880.
What is a industrial engineer’s take-home pay in San Diego, CA?
On the median $119,050 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $84,192 a year ($7,016 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $8,390 in California taxes in 2026.
Is San Diego, CA a good place to work as a industrial engineer?
Pay here is 16% above the national median of $102,440. Local prices are 11.9% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $75,247 would in a typical U.S. city. San Diego, CA ranks #25 of 30 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a industrial 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) — 35% of a median industrial 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
- Civil Engineer — $108,900