Accountants and Auditors pay range in San Diego
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $62,520 a year or less, while the top 10% make $157,720 or more. The middle half of accountants and auditors in San Diego earn between $76,690 and $125,190.
- $63K10th
- $77K25th
- $96KMedian
- $125K75th
- $158K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $103,810 | $8,651 | $49.91 |
| Median | $96,340 | $8,028 | $46.32 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $76,690 | $6,391 | $36.87 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $125,190 | $10,432 | $60.19 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Accountants and Auditors pay in San Diego vs. California and the U.S.
Accountants and auditors in San Diego earn about the same as the California average ($103,760) and 10% more than the U.S. average ($94,750). At the median the gap is +15% against the U.S. median of $83,680.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego | $103,810 | $96,340 | $62,520 | $157,720 | 13,450 |
| California | $103,760 | $97,050 | $61,770 | $160,520 | 175,360 |
| United States | $94,750 | $83,680 | $56,020 | $144,090 | 1,449,500 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Accountants and Auditors salary after taxes in San Diego
On the average salary of $103,810, a single filer in San Diego takes home about $76,298 a year, or $6,358 a month and $2,935 every two weeks. Taxes take 27% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is San Diego a good place for accountants and auditors? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Diego area are 12% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 111.9), so the average $103,810 buys what about $92,781 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.6 times the median wage of all jobs in San Diego ($58,690). A typical home costs $946,365, or 9.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Accountants and Auditors salary in other California cities
San Diego ranks 3rd of 25 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($128,520).
- San Jose$128,520
- San Francisco$120,780
- San Diego$103,810
- Napa$103,790
- Santa Rosa$101,960
- Los Angeles$99,740
- Vallejo$99,420
- Santa Maria$98,350
- Oxnard$97,190
- Salinas$95,570
Highest-paying cities for accountants and auditors
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($128,520).
- San Jose, CA$128,520
- San Francisco, CA$120,780
- New York, NY$119,280
- Washington, DC$113,640
- Midland, TX$111,820
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Accountants and Auditors salary in San Diego: questions
How much do accountants and auditors make an hour in San Diego?
$49.91 an hour on average, and $46.32 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level accountants and auditors salary in San Diego?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $62,520 a year and the 25th percentile is $76,690, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the accountants and auditors take-home pay in San Diego?
About $76,298 a year ($6,358 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $103,810. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do accountants and auditors earn more in San Diego than elsewhere?
The average here is 10% more than the U.S. average for this job ($94,750).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 13-2011; area San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA (41740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.1%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.94, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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