Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Median annual wage: $62,880
- Median hourly wage: $30.23
- Total employment: 490 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying computer and engineering jobs in San Diego
What do we mean when we talk about computer and engineering jobs? Well, that depends. These positions encompass various roles dedicated to new technology development and maintenance. Take software developers, who create and oversee computer programs, versus mechanical engineers, who design and build physical products, tools, and systems. However different these careers may be, though, they do have a few things in common: bachelor's degree requirements, a focus on analytical thinking, and the allure of a steady paycheck, particularly for recent college graduates.
First, the bad news—ongoing technological advancements have massively impacted these industries. As the use of artificial intelligence has exploded in the technology sector, finding an entry-level job has become increasingly difficult. LinkedIn Chief Economic Opportunity Officer Aneesh Raman noted in a May 2025 op-ed for The New York Times that artificial intelligence is decimating the "bottom rung of the career ladder" in technology, while a May 2025 report from SignalFire found that the hiring of new grads at the nation's 15 largest tech companies has dropped by more than 50% since 2019.
Yet, while the situation may seem dire, it's not all doom and gloom for computer and engineering jobs. Although these positions may be more selective than they once were, many pay far more than the country's 2024 median wages of $49,500. Those in computer and information technology occupations can expect to make a median salary of $105,990 as of 2024, while engineers earn median wages of more than $97,000.
Employment in these fields is also expected to grow at a healthy rate. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts an average of 356,700 new computer job openings yearly through 2033, and 195,000 new engineering job openings in the same period. Furthermore, growing interest in sustainable infrastructure and construction techniques could lead to exciting opportunities for engineers.
Though it's difficult to predict the exact future of computer and engineering jobs, those interested in these fields can at least consider one important aspect: salary. Stacker used BLS data to find the highest-paying computer and engineering jobs San Diego. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.
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2 / 50#49. Calibration technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $64,010
- Median hourly wage: $30.78
- Total employment: 140 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Freedomz // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Drafters, all other
- Median annual wage: $69,360
- Median hourly wage: $33.35
- Total employment: 170 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Shift Drive // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Computer user support specialists
- Median annual wage: $69,530
- Median hourly wage: $33.43
- Total employment: 5,110 people (3.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
industryviews // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $72,960
- Median hourly wage: $35.08
- Total employment: Not available
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6 / 50#45. Electrical and electronics drafters
- Median annual wage: $74,910
- Median hourly wage: $36.02
- Total employment: 350 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Hitdelight // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Architectural and civil drafters
- Median annual wage: $76,550
- Median hourly wage: $36.80
- Total employment: 1,420 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BELL KA PANG // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $77,130
- Median hourly wage: $37.08
- Total employment: 700 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Computer network support specialists
- Median annual wage: $77,400
- Median hourly wage: $37.21
- Total employment: 860 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $77,680
- Median hourly wage: $37.34
- Total employment: 390 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $77,700
- Median hourly wage: $37.36
- Total employment: 140 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Civil engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $79,510
- Median hourly wage: $38.23
- Total employment: 760 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
anyaivanova // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $82,740
- Median hourly wage: $39.78
- Total employment: 2,100 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gearstd // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Mechanical drafters
- Median annual wage: $83,840
- Median hourly wage: $40.31
- Total employment: 390 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Francesco Scatena // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Cartographers and photogrammetrists
- Median annual wage: $89,430
- Median hourly wage: $43.00
- Total employment: 110 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Operations research analysts
- Median annual wage: $90,490
- Median hourly wage: $43.51
- Total employment: 1,270 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BGStock72 // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other
- Median annual wage: $90,900
- Median hourly wage: $43.70
- Total employment: 1,490 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Toa55 // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Landscape architects
- Median annual wage: $97,640
- Median hourly wage: $46.94
- Total employment: 260 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Network and computer systems administrators
- Median annual wage: $101,990
- Median hourly wage: $49.03
- Total employment: 2,690 people (1.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Actuaries
- Median annual wage: $102,350
- Median hourly wage: $49.21
- Total employment: 60 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Surveyors
- Median annual wage: $103,230
- Median hourly wage: $49.63
- Total employment: 360 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Web developers
- Median annual wage: $103,640
- Median hourly wage: $49.83
- Total employment: 670 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Taty77 // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers
- Median annual wage: $104,530
- Median hourly wage: $50.26
- Total employment: 50 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $106,350
- Median hourly wage: $51.13
- Total employment: 6,390 people (4.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Software quality assurance analysts and testers
- Median annual wage: $109,590
- Median hourly wage: $52.69
- Total employment: 2,260 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors
- Median annual wage: $110,100
- Median hourly wage: $52.93
- Total employment: 260 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DC Studio // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Database administrators
- Median annual wage: $111,320
- Median hourly wage: $53.52
- Total employment: 810 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $113,190
- Median hourly wage: $54.42
- Total employment: 4,790 people (3.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Industrial engineers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $114,400
- Median hourly wage: $55.00
- Total employment: 3,110 people (2.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com //Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Web and digital interface designers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $114,400
- Median hourly wage: $55.00
- Total employment: 1,470 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Tonhom1009 // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Bioengineers and biomedical engineers
- Median annual wage: $116,790
- Median hourly wage: $56.15
- Total employment: 510 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Architects, except landscape and naval
- Median annual wage: $118,410
- Median hourly wage: $56.93
- Total employment: 1,450 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pheelings media // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Statisticians
- Median annual wage: $121,150
- Median hourly wage: $58.25
- Total employment: 270 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $121,560
- Median hourly wage: $58.44
- Total employment: 8,210 people (5.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Halfpoint // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Materials engineers
- Median annual wage: $124,130
- Median hourly wage: $59.68
- Total employment: 230 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Computer and information research scientists
- Median annual wage: $124,790
- Median hourly wage: $60.00
- Total employment: 1,570 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Environmental engineers
- Median annual wage: $125,890
- Median hourly wage: $60.53
- Total employment: 460 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $127,200
- Median hourly wage: $61.15
- Total employment: 2,550 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kardasov Films // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Marine engineers and naval architects
- Median annual wage: $128,420
- Median hourly wage: $61.74
- Total employment: 80 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $128,660
- Median hourly wage: $61.86
- Total employment: 3,320 people (2.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $128,750
- Median hourly wage: $61.90
- Total employment: 2,200 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $130,550
- Median hourly wage: $62.77
- Total employment: 3,240 people (2.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $130,900
- Median hourly wage: $62.93
- Total employment: 1,240 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $131,200
- Median hourly wage: $63.08
- Total employment: 1,260 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aappp // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Aerospace engineers
- Median annual wage: $132,320
- Median hourly wage: $63.62
- Total employment: 750 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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PIYAWAT WONGOPASS // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Computer programmers
- Median annual wage: $133,560
- Median hourly wage: $64.21
- Total employment: 1,800 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MinskDesign // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $137,990
- Median hourly wage: $66.34
- Total employment: 390 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $153,110
- Median hourly wage: $73.61
- Total employment: 3,690 people (2.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wee dezign // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $159,240
- Median hourly wage: $76.56
- Total employment: 21,080 people (13.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SeventyFour // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Computer hardware engineers
- Median annual wage: $169,230
- Median hourly wage: $81.36
- Total employment: 3,200 people (2.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.
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