SOC 53-5031 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Ship Engineers — San Diego
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA · 2 metro areas compared
Median pay for this occupation in San Diego, CA is $85,310 a year, trailing the national median of $109,530 by 22.1%.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
Median pay for this occupation in San Diego, CA is $85,310 a year, trailing the national median of $109,530 by 22.1%. Half of workers earn between $80,820 and $101,180. Beyond that band, the tenth percentile sits at $73,940 and the ninetieth at $109,530.
The area has 70 jobs in this occupation, which works out to 0.0 of every thousand jobs. San Francisco leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $108,770. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 220th of 671 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $73,940 | −32.5% |
| 25th | $80,820 | −26.2% |
| Median (50th) | $85,310 | −22.1% |
| 75th | $101,180 | −7.6% |
| 90th | $109,530 | +0.0% |
| Mean | $90,770 | −17.1% |
Other metro areas in California
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco | $108,770 | 140 | |
| 2 | Los Angeles | $84,630 | — |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in San Diego run 10.7% above the national average, so the median of $85,310 buys what $77,064 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 29.6% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$85,310as reported by BLSLocal price level
110.7US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$77,064US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $85,310 a year, 22.1% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $73,940 to $109,530 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 70 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is San Francisco, at $108,770.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Ship Engineers in San Diego, CA?
The median annual wage is $85,310, or $41.02 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $109,530, so pay in San Diego, CA is 22.1% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in San Diego, CA earns more than $109,530 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $73,940 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in San Francisco, at $108,770 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 70 jobs in this occupation in San Diego, CA. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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