Ship Engineers Salary in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
The median pay for a ship engineers in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA is $83,240/year ($40.02/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $62K at the entry level to $118K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 111.89), so that salary is closer to $74,394 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $3,001/month — about 57.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $83K 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 ship engineers
Sponsored links — AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
Entry-level ship engineers (10th percentile) start around $62K. Mid-career wages sit at $83K. Top earners bring in $118K or more, a $56K spread from bottom to top.
Ship Engineers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | $171K | +68% | 100 |
| Massachusetts | $136K | +34% | 90 |
| California | $135K | +33% | 430 |
| New York | $132K | +30% | 600 |
| Rhode Island | $124K | +22% | 40 |
| Texas | $122K | +21% | 870 |
| New Jersey | $117K | +16% | 170 |
| Illinois | $112K | +10% | 130 |
| Florida | $111K | +9% | 910 |
| Hawaii | $110K | +9% | 60 |
| Kentucky | $102K | +0% | 240 |
| Tennessee | $101K | -0% | 180 |
| Indiana | $100K | -1% | 180 |
| South Carolina | $100K | -2% | 60 |
| Washington | $96K | -5% | 910 |
| Louisiana | $95K | -7% | 800 |
| Mississippi | $92K | -9% | 100 |
| Oregon | $87K | -14% | 110 |
| Virginia | $82K | -19% | 1,370 |
| Alaska | $80K | -21% | 320 |
| Alabama | $79K | -22% | 100 |
| Michigan | $71K | -30% | 150 |
| Pennsylvania | $64K | -37% | 370 |
| North Carolina | $61K | -40% | 80 |
Showing 1–10 of 24 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track ship engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
How much do ship engineers make in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA?
The median is $83,240 a year, that works out to about $40 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $61,770, and experienced ship engineers can clear $117,890. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $83K enough to live in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,256/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,001/month, which eats 57.1% 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 ship 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 ship engineers salary is worth about $74,394 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do ship 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.