Salary guide, May 2025
Firmware / Embedded Engineer pay in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
Manufacturing Headhunters uses the published BLS OEWS figures below. They describe the mapped occupation and area, not an individual offer.
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The median annual wage for Software Developers in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA was $163,270 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $128,590 and $193,980.
The San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA median is $27,290 above the national median of $135,980, both from BLS May 2025.
Broader occupation · SOC 15-1252 Software Developers
BLS measures this broader occupation across industries. It does not publish a separate wage for this manufacturing title.
What should you know about san Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA?
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $95,420 | $128,590 | $163,270 | $193,980 | $223,260 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $45.87 | $61.82 | $78.49 | $93.26 | $107.34 |
BLS estimated 20,610 workers employed in this occupation in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA. Location quotient: 1.23.
What should you know about united States?
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $82,460 | $105,210 | $135,980 | $171,980 | $214,670 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $39.64 | $50.58 | $65.38 | $82.68 | $103.21 |
What should you know about role pay against all occupations here?
The published Firmware / Embedded Engineer median is $163,270. The all-occupations median in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA is $58,690. Ratio: 2.78 (role median divided by all-occupations median, same units, BLS May 2025). Location quotient 1.23 measures how concentrated this occupation's employment is here against the nation. It is not a wage index.
What should you know about two BLS releases?
| Release period | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | $125,170 | $159,240 | $174,420 |
| May 2025 | $128,590 | $163,270 | $193,980 |
These are two separate BLS estimates from different survey panels. The workers and employers behind them differ, so the gap is not like-for-like pay for the same workers and is not a growth rate. We show no percentage change.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 15-1252 Software Developers, San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 15-1252 Software Developers, U.S.. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
What should you know about nearby areas?
| Area | Median | 25th to 75th |
|---|---|---|
| El Centro, CA | $125,930 | $98,430 to $166,710 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $160,920 | $127,530 to $191,540 |
All roles in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA · National page · Firmware / Embedded Engineer ranked across metros