Pediatricians, General Salary

Yes — at the median salary of $263K, rent takes 21.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $3,001/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.

The 10th-percentile wage — what new pediatricians, generals typically earn — is $158K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $9,487/month. At HUD’s $3,001/month FMR, rent would take 32% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.

Local pay is 25% above the national median — $263K here vs. $210K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 12% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.

San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad pays $263K median vs. the U.S. average of $210K — that’s +25%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 111.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $235K — still ahead of the national median.

The median is $262,650 a year, that works out to about $126 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $158,110, and experienced pediatricians, generals can clear $358,320. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.

On that salary, you'd take home roughly $14,207/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,001/month, which eats 21.1% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.

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 pediatricians, general salary is worth about $234,739 in national-average purchasing power.

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.