How much does a Mechanical Engineer make in San Diego, CA?

Updated Sep 10, 2023

Experience

Industry

$94,906 / yrTotal Pay
$85,138 / yrBase Pay
$9,768 / yrAdditional Pay

$94,906

 / yr
$67K$137K
Most Likely Range
Possible Range

The estimated total pay for a Mechanical Engineer is $94,906 per year in the San Diego, CA area, with an average salary of $85,138 per year. These numbers represent the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges from our proprietary Total Pay Estimate model and based on salaries collected from our users. The estimated additional pay is $9,768 per year. Additional pay could include cash bonus, commission, tips, and profit sharing. The "Most Likely Range" represents values that exist within the 25th and 75th percentile of all pay data available for this role.

How accurate does $94,906 look to you?

Your input helps Glassdoor refine our pay estimates over time.

Total Pay Trajectory

For Mechanical Engineer in San Diego, CA

$94,906 /yr
Mechanical Engineer
$145,419 /yr
Senior Mechanical Engineer
$112,936 /yr
Mechanical Engineer IV
See Full Career Path

Download as data table

What is the total pay trajectory for Mechanical Engineer?

Job TitleSalary
Mechanical Engineer$94,906 /yr
Senior Mechanical Engineer$145,419 /yr
Mechanical Engineer IV$112,936 /yr

Related Job Titles

For Mechanical Engineer in San Diego, CA

Some related job titles are Mechanical Engineer Intern Salaries with median pay of $76,769, Entry Level Mechanical Engineer Salaries with median pay of $89,147, Entry Mechanical Engineer Salaries with median pay of $92,648, Entry Level Mechanical Engineer Salaries with median pay of $77,081.

Top Paying Companies

For a Mechanical Engineer in San Diego, CA

Below is the total pay for the top 10 highest paying companies for a Mechanical Engineer in San Diego, CA. Employers include Apple, Qualcomm and Hyundai Motor.

1
Apple
Apple
$159,448/yr
5K open jobs
4
ASML
$116,697/yr
7
Nokia
$103,043/yr
8
Cubic
$100,217/yr
See pay for all companies for a Mechanical Engineer in San Diego, CAView data as table

Top Paying Companies

For Mechanical Engineer in San Diego, CA

1Apple$159,448
2Qualcomm$133,822
3Hyundai Motor$116,719
4ASML$116,697
5Dexcom$106,057
6Solar Turbines$104,328
7Nokia$103,043
8Cubic$100,217
9General Atomics$97,628
10Naval Information Warfare Systems Command$95,531
Total Pay Trajectory

For Mechanical Engineer in San Diego, CA

$94,906 /yr
Mechanical Engineer
$145,419 /yr
Senior Mechanical Engineer
$112,936 /yr
Mechanical Engineer IV
See Full Career Path

Download as data table

What is the total pay trajectory for Mechanical Engineer?

Job TitleSalary
Mechanical Engineer$94,906 /yr
Senior Mechanical Engineer$145,419 /yr
Mechanical Engineer IV$112,936 /yr

What are total pay estimates for a Mechanical Engineer at different companies in San Diego, CA?

or
Sort:
Company
Jobs
Total Pay Range
General Atomics
3.6
Mechanical EngineerSee 34 salaries from this location

$97,628

 / yr
Solar Turbines
4.1
Mechanical EngineerSee 28 salaries from this location

$104,328

 / yr
Northrop Grumman
4
Mechanical EngineerSee 21 salaries from this location

$92,905

 / yr
Source Engineering Services
3.6
Mechanical EngineerSee 20 salaries from this location

$82,929

 / yr
Cubic
3.2
Mechanical EngineerSee 17 salaries from this location

$100,217

 / yr
US Navy
3.7
Mechanical EngineerSee 16 salaries from this location

$88,715

 / yr
ASML
4.1
Mechanical EngineerSee 12 salaries from this location

$116,697

 / yr

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Let’s pay it forward! The Glassdoor community relies on people like you to share accurate salary info to promote fair compensation everywhere

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SAIC
4
Mechanical EngineerSee 11 salaries from this location

$91,797

 / yr
Dexcom
3.8
Mechanical EngineerSee 11 salaries from this location

$106,057

 / yr
UC San Diego
4.2
Mechanical EngineerSee 9 salaries from this location

$84,769

 / yr
Leidos
3.8
Mechanical EngineerSee 9 salaries from this location

$92,043

 / yr
Hyundai Motor
3.9
Mechanical EngineerSee 8 salaries from this location

$116,719

 / yr
Naval Information Warfare Systems Command
3.7
Mechanical EngineerSee 8 salaries from this location

$95,531

 / yr
BD
3.9
Mechanical EngineerSee 7 salaries from this location

$93,603

 / yr
General Atomics
3.6
Mechanical Engineer ISee 7 salaries from this location

$87,150

 / yr
Naval Air Systems Command
3.8
Mechanical EngineerSee 7 salaries from this location

$94,917

 / yr
Northrop Grumman
4
Mechanical Engineer ISee 7 salaries from this location

$84,338

 / yr
D&K Engineering
4.2
Mechanical EngineerSee 6 salaries from this location

$89,815

 / yr
Tech Mahindra
3.6
Mechanical EngineerSee 6 salaries from this location

$89,061

 / yr
Nokia
4.2
Mechanical EngineerSee 5 salaries from this location

$103,043

 / yr
Download as data table

Mechanical Engineer in San Diego, CA Salaries

Job TitleLocationSalary
General Atomics Mechanical Engineer salaries - 34 salaries reportedSan Diego, CA$97,628/yr
Solar Turbines Mechanical Engineer salaries - 28 salaries reportedSan Diego, CA$104,328/yr
Northrop Grumman Mechanical Engineer salaries - 21 salaries reportedSan Diego, CA$92,905/yr
Source Engineering Services Mechanical Engineer salaries - 20 salaries reportedSan Diego, CA$82,929/yr
Cubic Mechanical Engineer salaries - 17 salaries reportedSan Diego, CA$100,217/yr
US Navy Mechanical Engineer salaries - 16 salaries reportedSan Diego, CA$88,715/yr
ASML Mechanical Engineer salaries - 12 salaries reportedSan Diego, CA$116,697/yr
SAIC Mechanical Engineer salaries - 11 salaries reportedSan Diego, CA$91,797/yr
Dexcom Mechanical Engineer salaries - 11 salaries reportedSan Diego, CA$106,057/yr
UC San Diego Mechanical Engineer salaries - 9 salaries reportedSan Diego, CA$84,769/yr
Leidos Mechanical Engineer salaries - 9 salaries reportedSan Diego, CA$92,043/yr
Hyundai Motor Mechanical Engineer salaries - 8 salaries reportedSan Diego, CA$116,719/yr
Naval Information Warfare Systems Command Mechanical Engineer salaries - 8 salaries reportedSan Diego, CA$95,531/yr
BD Mechanical Engineer salaries - 7 salaries reportedSan Diego, CA$93,603/yr
General Atomics Mechanical Engineer I salaries - 7 salaries reportedSan Diego, CA$87,150/yr
Naval Air Systems Command Mechanical Engineer salaries - 7 salaries reportedSan Diego, CA$94,917/yr
Northrop Grumman Mechanical Engineer I salaries - 7 salaries reportedSan Diego, CA$84,338/yr
D&K Engineering Mechanical Engineer salaries - 6 salaries reportedSan Diego, CA$89,815/yr
Tech Mahindra Mechanical Engineer salaries - 6 salaries reportedSan Diego, CA$89,061/yr
Nokia Mechanical Engineer salaries - 5 salaries reportedSan Diego, CA$103,043/yr
Viewing 1 - 20 of 300

Top Paying Industries

For a Mechanical Engineer in San Diego, CA

The top 5 paying industries for a Mechanical Engineer in San Diego, CA are Information Technology with a median total pay of $112,809, Energy, Mining & Utilities with a median total pay of $104,328, Telecommunications with a median total pay of $103,043, Aerospace & Defense with a median total pay of $95,266, and Government & Public Administration with a median total pay of $94,917.

IndustryTotal PayTotal Pay Insight
  • Information TechnologyInformation Technology$112,809

    16% Higher than other industries

  • Energy, Mining & UtilitiesEnergy, Mining & Utilities$104,328

    9% Higher than other industries

  • TelecommunicationsTelecommunications$103,043

    8% Higher than other industries

  • Aerospace & DefenseAerospace & Defense$95,266

    1% Higher than other industries

  • Government & Public AdministrationGovernment & Public Administration$94,917

    0% Lower than other industries

Information Technology

Top paying companies in Information Technology for Mechanical Engineer are Apple, Qualcomm, and SAIC.

AppleApple$159,448/yr
QualcommQualcomm$133,822/yr
SAICSAIC$91,797/yr

Glassdoor Economist Pay Overview

What is the pay outlook for Engineering?

Engineering jobs are in high demand with workers receiving generous compensation packages and bonuses. Engineering offers ample opportunity for growth and development with transferable skills across an array of fields from software, supply chain and logistics to aerospace. Most roles require at least a bachelor’s degree. To remain competitive, job-seekers should consider specialization or skill-specific programs such as coding boot-camps or certifications.

How does the Mechanical engineer salary in San Diego, CA compare to the national average salary in US for the same job?

The average salary for a Mechanical engineer in US is $84,981 per year based on 26,636 salary contributions, which is 1.07% more than the salary for a Mechanical engineer in San Diego, CA. The cost of living and the local demand for the work are among the factors affecting wages. The top 3 companies in US where a Mechanical engineer gets the highest compensation are Meta, Accenture Ltd and Applied Materials, Inc.. Bigger companies typically pay 18.79% more than smaller companies for a Mechanical engineer.

Recent Salaries Shared

For mechanical engineer in San Diego, CA

Salary Share
Anonymously share your pay to help the community

Job Title

Location

Total Pay

Base Pay | Additional Pay

Total Years of Experience

Years at Recent Employer

Submitted

Date or Time

Mechanical Engineer

San Diego, CA

 | 4-6 years

$51,000

/yr

Submitted Yesterday

4-6 years
Yesterday
Mechanical Design Engineer

San Diego, CA

 | 4-6 years

$106,000

/yr

Submitted Yesterday

4-6 years
Yesterday
Mechanical Engineer

San Diego, CA

 | 1-3 years

$95,000

/yr

Submitted Yesterday

1-3 years
Yesterday
Mechanical Engineer

San Diego, CA

 | 1-3 years

$93,000

/yr

Submitted 2 days ago

1-3 years
2 days ago
Mechanical Engineer

San Diego, CA

 | 1-3 years

$117,000

/yr

Submitted 4 days ago

1-3 years
4 days ago
Mechanical Designer

San Diego, CA

 | 15+ years

$140,000

/yr

Submitted 5 days ago

15+ years
5 days ago
Mechanical Engineer

San Diego, CA

 | 4-6 years

$90,000

/yr

Submitted 5 days ago

4-6 years
5 days ago
Mechanical Engineer

San Diego, CA

 | 4-6 years

$54,000

/yr

Submitted 6 days ago

4-6 years
6 days ago

Mechanical Engineer pay FAQ in San Diego, CA

The average salary for a Mechanical Engineer is $94,906 per year in San Diego, CA. Salaries estimates are based on 45548 salaries submitted anonymously to Glassdoor by a Mechanical Engineer employees in San Diego, CA.

The highest salary for a Mechanical Engineer in San Diego, CA is $115,241 per year.

The lowest salary for a Mechanical Engineer in San Diego, CA is $78,693 per year.

If you are thinking of becoming a Mechanical Engineer or planning the next step in your career, find details about the role, the career path and salary trajectory of a Mechanical Engineer.

Mechanical engineering salaries are high, reflecting the field’s significant barriers to entry. A bachelor’s in engineering degree is considered a minimum qualification, although many firms strongly prefer candidates with internship experience. Once hired, mechanical engineers typically work full time and are paid a salary with full benefits. Candidates with a master's degree are typically paid higher than candidates with only a bachelor’s degree. Successful mechanical engineers can earn a Professional Engineering (PE) license that indicates they are ready for more leadership responsibility, or they may choose to transition into a project manager role.

Powered by Glassdoor Economic Research

Anonymous Glassdoor ratings show that 72% of mechanical engineers are happy with their salaries. A post-graduate degree, board certifications, and a few years of experience help make it possible to earn good money in the role, especially with bonuses and profit sharing adding up to a potential $9,767.62.

A mechanical engineer's level of experience can help determine total pay, which could range from $66,562.19 to $136,904.35 per year. Total pay is equivalent to your salary plus any added bonuses and benefits. For example, after following the mechanical engineer career path, a person could qualify for a job as a principal mechanical engineer, which comes with a higher potential total pay.

Do you want to earn a higher salary as a mechanical engineer? Start thinking about what you have to offer your current or prospective employer. What qualifications and skills distinguish you from other mechanical engineers, and how can you improve your credentials and possibly increase your paycheck?

If you started out with an associate degree, the next step would be to complete your bachelor's in mechanical engineering. Choose a college or university course that is accredited by the Accreditation Board of Engineering Technology (ABET). Also, consider completing your master's degree.

Obtain certifications that validate your skills. This could include certifications for assistive design, project management, and test and balance engineering.

Wanting to negotiate the best possible salary in your mechanical engineer job? Find out what mechanical engineers with experience similar to yours are earning and use it as a baseline. Highlight your most desirable job-related skills. They can be a great bargaining chip.

If you love your current job but feel the need to ask for a raise, be honest about it. The average annual pay increase is around 3% but you could open negotiations by asking for 10 to 20%, especially if your work responsibilities have changed drastically since you first started. With some luck, your employer might even agree to a raise of more than 3%.

About 72.27% of Mechanical Engineer professionals feel satisfied with their salary, according to anonymous Glassdoor ratings. An additional $9,768 in potential pay per year, among other factors, can qualify the annual pay of a Mechanical Engineer in San Diego, CA as a good salary.

Mechanical Engineer professionals in San Diego, CA have a wide total pay range, between $66,562 and $136,904 depending on experience, with an estimated total pay of $94,906 following the average career path of a Mechanical Engineer.

Additional Resources

Mechanical Engineer Job Description Template

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