High paying jobs in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA. The percentile range matters more than the median on its own: it shows what the bottom and top of each field actually earn, which a single average hides.

Cost of living: prices in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA run 11.9% above the national average (2024), so a San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA salary is worth about 0.89× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA

OccupationMedian, San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA · Employed

1Physicians, All Other$323,050
Doctoral or professional degree
$123,770 – $391,4404,200
2Family Medicine Physicians$295,530
Doctoral or professional degree
$149,290 – $493,9801,360
3Pediatricians, General$262,650
Doctoral or professional degree
$158,110 – $358,320630
4Chief Executives$238,440
Bachelor's degree
$85,510 – $493,4802,710
5Natural Sciences Managers$207,200
Bachelor's degree
$132,560 – $319,2602,890
6Computer and Information Systems Managers$206,740
Bachelor's degree
$127,840 – $304,5307,250
7Architectural and Engineering Managers$202,810
Bachelor's degree
$134,660 – $283,1303,270
8Lawyers$178,220
Doctoral or professional degree
$104,140 – $336,5908,020
9Marketing Managers$174,840
Bachelor's degree
$99,510 – $305,7403,790
10Computer Hardware Engineers$174,440
Bachelor's degree
$122,910 – $227,9403,330
11Financial Managers$174,210
Bachelor's degree
$100,950 – $326,9307,350
12Managers, All Other$169,240
Bachelor's degree
$98,390 – $276,3109,370
13Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$166,850
Doctoral or professional degree
$82,490 – $350,710570
14Physician Assistants$165,160
Master's degree
$109,750 – $214,5701,370
15Pharmacists$165,130
Doctoral or professional degree
$131,400 – $214,4802,840
16Nurse Practitioners$163,860
Master's degree
$131,380 – $215,6402,340
17Software Developers$163,270
Bachelor's degree
$95,420 – $223,26020,610
18Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$163,200
Master's degree
$102,670 – $201,9702,370
19Human Resources Managers$163,190
Bachelor's degree
$97,050 – $282,4002,300
20Veterinarians$159,750
Doctoral or professional degree
$67,540 – $276,2301,080
21Purchasing Managers$158,620
Bachelor's degree
$99,470 – $226,910680
22Dentists, General$158,160
Doctoral or professional degree
$90,600 – $259,3201,710
23Computer Network Architects$157,700
Bachelor's degree
$86,240 – $212,0501,490
24Public Relations Managers$157,630
Bachelor's degree
$84,530 – $277,700650
25Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$156,480
Bachelor's degree
$101,120 – $217,6203,450
26Training and Development Managers$148,860
Bachelor's degree
$95,840 – $310,270630
27First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$148,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$129,070 – $203,540960
28Registered Nurses$139,520
Bachelor's degree
$102,480 – $175,21028,680
29Medical and Health Services Managers$138,080
Bachelor's degree
$78,210 – $290,4806,980
30Aerospace Engineers$135,010
Bachelor's degree
$96,650 – $209,080800
31Computer Programmers$134,130
Bachelor's degree
$71,010 – $178,9301,600
32Optometrists$133,280
Doctoral or professional degree
$102,250 – $208,180540
33Construction Managers$133,210
Bachelor's degree
$82,290 – $208,3503,800
34Engineers, All Other$132,790
Bachelor's degree
$77,310 – $195,1903,570
35English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary$132,500
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,160 – $227,140500
36Industrial Production Managers$132,150
Bachelor's degree
$81,860 – $221,6002,230
37Information Security Analysts$132,120
Bachelor's degree
$70,790 – $206,5101,330
38School Psychologists$131,070
Master's degree
$79,820 – $153,010850
39Data Scientists$130,990
Bachelor's degree
$74,110 – $201,1902,830
40Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$130,980
Doctoral or professional degree
$78,730 – $166,9204,960
41Personal Financial Advisors$130,330
Bachelor's degree
$68,640 – $405,5403,010
42Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$129,630
Associate's degree
$65,290 – $168,060720
43Computer Occupations, All Other$127,600
Bachelor's degree
$60,250 – $186,4407,340
44Electrical Engineers$127,270
Bachelor's degree
$80,080 – $204,6102,400
45Art Directors$126,050
Bachelor's degree
$78,140 – $211,550630
46Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$125,770
Bachelor's degree
$57,130 – $207,7501,710
47Education Administrators, Postsecondary$125,470
Master's degree
$76,840 – $215,6501,280
48Detectives and Criminal Investigators$124,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$77,790 – $167,1102,990
49Web and Digital Interface Designers$123,850
Bachelor's degree
$54,060 – $205,4001,270
50Dental Hygienists$123,790
Associate's degree
$108,320 – $130,5301,940

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianSan Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$323,050	$123,770 – $391,440	4,200
2	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$295,530	$149,290 – $493,980	1,360
3	Pediatricians, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$262,650	$158,110 – $358,320	630
4	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$238,440	$85,510 – $493,480	2,710
5	Natural Sciences ManagersBachelor's degree	$207,200	$132,560 – $319,260	2,890
6	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$206,740	$127,840 – $304,530	7,250
7	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$202,810	$134,660 – $283,130	3,270
8	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$178,220	$104,140 – $336,590	8,020
9	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$174,840	$99,510 – $305,740	3,790
10	Computer Hardware EngineersBachelor's degree	$174,440	$122,910 – $227,940	3,330
11	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$174,210	$100,950 – $326,930	7,350
12	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$169,240	$98,390 – $276,310	9,370
13	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$166,850	$82,490 – $350,710	570
14	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$165,160	$109,750 – $214,570	1,370
15	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$165,130	$131,400 – $214,480	2,840
16	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$163,860	$131,380 – $215,640	2,340
17	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$163,270	$95,420 – $223,260	20,610
18	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$163,200	$102,670 – $201,970	2,370
19	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$163,190	$97,050 – $282,400	2,300
20	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$159,750	$67,540 – $276,230	1,080
21	Purchasing ManagersBachelor's degree	$158,620	$99,470 – $226,910	680
22	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$158,160	$90,600 – $259,320	1,710
23	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$157,700	$86,240 – $212,050	1,490
24	Public Relations ManagersBachelor's degree	$157,630	$84,530 – $277,700	650
25	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$156,480	$101,120 – $217,620	3,450
26	Training and Development ManagersBachelor's degree	$148,860	$95,840 – $310,270	630
27	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$148,310	$129,070 – $203,540	960
28	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$139,520	$102,480 – $175,210	28,680
29	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$138,080	$78,210 – $290,480	6,980
30	Aerospace EngineersBachelor's degree	$135,010	$96,650 – $209,080	800
31	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$134,130	$71,010 – $178,930	1,600
32	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$133,280	$102,250 – $208,180	540
33	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$133,210	$82,290 – $208,350	3,800
34	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$132,790	$77,310 – $195,190	3,570
35	English Language and Literature Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$132,500	$62,160 – $227,140	500
36	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$132,150	$81,860 – $221,600	2,230
37	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$132,120	$70,790 – $206,510	1,330
38	School PsychologistsMaster's degree	$131,070	$79,820 – $153,010	850
39	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$130,990	$74,110 – $201,190	2,830
40	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$130,980	$78,730 – $166,920	4,960
41	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$130,330	$68,640 – $405,540	3,010
42	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$129,630	$65,290 – $168,060	720
43	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$127,600	$60,250 – $186,440	7,340
44	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$127,270	$80,080 – $204,610	2,400
45	Art DirectorsBachelor's degree	$126,050	$78,140 – $211,550	630
46	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$125,770	$57,130 – $207,750	1,710
47	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$125,470	$76,840 – $215,650	1,280
48	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$124,840	$77,790 – $167,110	2,990
49	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$123,850	$54,060 – $205,400	1,270
50	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$123,790	$108,320 – $130,530	1,940

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

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The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA to rank honestly.

High paying jobs in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA

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