Electrical Engineers Salary
In San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA, electrical engineers earn $127,270 at the median, or about $61.19 an hour. The range runs from $80K at the entry level to $205K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 111.89), so that salary is closer to $113,746 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $3,001/month, about 39.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $127K get you in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad’s Regional Price Parity (111.89). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About electrical engineers
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What this looks like in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
Electrical engineers pay in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad tracks closely to the national median, $127K locally vs. $121K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $3,001/month, which is 40.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 12% above the national average (BEA RPP 111.89), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for electrical engineers in metros near San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $140K | $123K |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $187K | $169K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $166K | $144K |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $136K | $128K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
Entry-level electrical engineers (10th percentile) start around $80K. Mid-career wages sit at $127K. Top earners bring in $205K or more, a $125K spread from bottom to top.
Electrical Engineers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Electrical Engineers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | $159K | +31% | 2,560 |
| California | $144K | +19% | 24,230 |
| District of Columbia | $143K | +19% | 330 |
| New Hampshire | $136K | +13% | 1,600 |
| Washington | $133K | +10% | 7,610 |
| Texas | $129K | +7% | 20,870 |
| Idaho | $129K | +7% | 1,000 |
| Massachusetts | $128K | +6% | 5,040 |
| Delaware | $127K | +5% | 660 |
| Alaska | $126K | +4% | 350 |
| Alabama | $126K | +4% | 4,600 |
| New Jersey | $125K | +4% | 2,940 |
| Oregon | $125K | +4% | 2,540 |
| Maryland | $125K | +4% | 4,650 |
| Louisiana | $124K | +3% | 990 |
| Colorado | $121K | +0% | 4,200 |
| Virginia | $119K | -1% | 7,260 |
| New York | $119K | -1% | 8,770 |
| Missouri | $119K | -2% | 2,410 |
| Maine | $115K | -5% | 1,150 |
| West Virginia | $113K | -6% | 500 |
| Wyoming | $112K | -7% | 280 |
| Vermont | $111K | -8% | 820 |
| Pennsylvania | $111K | -8% | 6,970 |
| North Dakota | $111K | -8% | 260 |
| North Carolina | $110K | -9% | 7,090 |
| Minnesota | $110K | -9% | 3,150 |
| Illinois | $108K | -11% | 5,460 |
| Oklahoma | $108K | -11% | 2,080 |
| Nevada | $107K | -11% | 1,100 |
| Nebraska | $107K | -11% | 1,060 |
| Hawaii | $106K | -12% | 1,080 |
| Michigan | $106K | -12% | 10,840 |
| Iowa | $106K | -12% | 1,280 |
| Utah | $106K | -12% | 1,680 |
| Mississippi | $105K | -13% | 1,130 |
| Florida | $105K | -13% | 9,220 |
| Tennessee | $104K | -13% | 2,830 |
| Connecticut | $104K | -14% | 2,930 |
| Indiana | $103K | -15% | 4,000 |
| Kansas | $103K | -15% | 2,100 |
| Ohio | $101K | -17% | 6,360 |
| Arizona | $101K | -17% | 5,370 |
| Wisconsin | $100K | -17% | 3,550 |
| South Dakota | $99K | -18% | 530 |
| Kentucky | $99K | -18% | 1,540 |
| South Carolina | $98K | -18% | 3,490 |
| Arkansas | $97K | -20% | 900 |
| Montana | $87K | -28% | 790 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track electrical engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a electrical engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $127K, rent takes 40.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $3,001/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $2,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for electrical engineers in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new electrical engineers typically earn — is $80K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,805/month. At HUD’s $3,001/month FMR, rent would take 62% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is electrical engineer a high-paying job in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $127K locally vs. $121K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad compare to the national average for electrical engineers?
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad pays $127K median vs. the U.S. average of $121K — that’s +6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 111.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $114K — below the national median.
How much do electrical engineers make in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA?
The median is $127,270 a year, that works out to about $61 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $80,080, and experienced electrical engineers can clear $204,610. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $127K enough to live in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,481/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,001/month, which eats 40.1% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a electrical engineers salary go in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad has a Regional Price Parity of 111.89 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median electrical engineers salary is worth about $113,746 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do electrical engineers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.