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
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 #110 of 125 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Beaumont, TX | $123,660 | $95,788 | $106,376 |
| 2 | Baton Rouge, LA | $129,500 | $96,281 | $106,059 |
| 3 | New Orleans, LA | $127,340 | $94,869 | $102,454 |
| 4 | Albuquerque, NM | $132,290 | $96,535 | $101,035 |
| 5 | Fort Collins, CO | $131,870 | $96,305 | $95,231 |
| 6 | Peoria, IL | $117,180 | $85,611 | $93,839 |
| 7 | Seattle, WA | $131,210 | $100,948 | $90,835 |
| 8 | Decatur, AL | $106,230 | $78,516 | $90,029 |
| 110 | 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 125 metros →
Industrial Engineer salaries elsewhere in California
- San Jose, CA — $136,950
- San Francisco, CA — $132,230
- Sacramento, CA — $110,190
- Los Angeles, CA — $113,040
- Riverside, CA — $101,700
- Oxnard, CA — $101,630
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 #110 of 125 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
- Aerospace Engineer — $135,010
- Engineers, All Other — $132,790
- Electrical Engineer — $127,270
- Mechanical Engineer — $121,750
- Architects, Except Landscape and Naval — $120,040
- Environmental Engineer — $119,390
- Civil Engineer — $108,900
- Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other — $92,480
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologist and Technician — $91,620
- Civil Engineering Technologist and Technician — $80,840