As of April 01, 2026, the average annual salary for Physics Engineer in San Diego, CA is $72,926, equivalent to $35 per hour, $1,402 weekly, or $6,077 monthly. These figures, sourced from Salary.com’s real-time job posting scans, highlight competitive earning potential for Physics Engineer in cities like Santa Clara, San Jose, and Fremont.

Annually Salaries for Physics Engineer in San Diego, CA vary widely, spanning from $57,972 to $79,129. Most professionals fall between the 25th percentile ($65,098) and 75th percentile ($76,173), while top earners (90th percentile) make $79,129 per year. This $11,075 pay gap underscores opportunities for salary growth through certifications, specialized skills like Analysis or Material Flow, or targeting high-paying regions like District of Columbia or California.

Location and experience significantly influence earnings. For example, San Diego Physics Engineer often earn 1.9% higher than national averages. However, San Diego currently ranks 135 statewide for Physics Engineer job salary. Professionals are advised to focus on high-growth sectors like to offset market challenges.

Based on HR-reported data: a national average with a geographic differential
Physics Engineer Salaries by Percentile
Percentile Salary Location Last Updated
10th Percentile Physics Engineer Salary $57,972 San Diego, CA April 01, 2026
25th Percentile Physics Engineer Salary $65,098 San Diego, CA April 01, 2026
50th Percentile Physics Engineer Salary $72,926 San Diego, CA April 01, 2026
75th Percentile Physics Engineer Salary $76,173 San Diego, CA April 01, 2026
90th Percentile Physics Engineer Salary $79,129 San Diego, CA April 01, 2026
25% $65,098 10% $57,972 90% $79,129 75% $76,173 $72,926 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click
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Physics Engineer

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Job Openings for Physics Engineer in San Diego, CA

Career Path for this job

  1. This Job:

    Physics Engineer

    0 - 2 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

  2. Up a level:

    Materials Engineer II

    2 - 4 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

Understand the total compensation opportunity for a Physics Engineer, base salary plus other pay elements

Average Base Salary

Core compensation

 
 
 
65098
76173
72926

Average Total Cash Compensation

Includes base and annual incentives

 
 
 
73927
88596
80276
These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Physics Engineer in San Diego, CA. The base salary for Physics Engineer ranges from $65,098 to $76,173 with the average base salary of $72,926. The total cash compensation, which includes base, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $73,927 to $88,596 with the average total cash compensation of $80,276.

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65098
76173

 

About San Diego, California    According to SDSU professor emeritus Monte Marshall, San Diego Bay is "the surface expression of a north-south-trending, nested graben". The Rose Cany....More

San Diego, California  area prices were up 2.6% from a year ago

Physics Engineer Salary in popular cities: Los AngelesSan JoseSan Francisco

Skills associated with Physics Engineer: Design, TEAMS

Jobs with a similar salary range to Physics Engineer : Material Science Engineering