As of April 01, 2026, the average annual salary for Security Systems Engineer in San Diego, CA is $99,395, equivalent to $48 per hour, $1,911 weekly, or $8,283 monthly. These figures, sourced from Salary.com’s real-time job posting scans, highlight competitive earning potential for Security Systems Engineer in cities like Santa Clara, San Jose, and Fremont.

Annually Salaries for Security Systems Engineer in San Diego, CA vary widely, spanning from $83,066 to $119,918. Most professionals fall between the 25th percentile ($90,847) and 75th percentile ($110,137), while top earners (90th percentile) make $119,918 per year. This $19,290 pay gap underscores opportunities for salary growth through certifications, specialized skills like Analysis or Azure, or targeting high-paying regions like District of Columbia or California.

Location and experience significantly influence earnings. For example, San Diego Security Systems Engineer often earn 1.9% higher than national averages. However, San Diego currently ranks 135 statewide for Security Systems 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
Security Systems Engineer Salaries by Percentile
Percentile Salary Location Last Updated
10th Percentile Security Systems Engineer Salary $83,066 San Diego, CA April 01, 2026
25th Percentile Security Systems Engineer Salary $90,847 San Diego, CA April 01, 2026
50th Percentile Security Systems Engineer Salary $99,395 San Diego, CA April 01, 2026
75th Percentile Security Systems Engineer Salary $110,137 San Diego, CA April 01, 2026
90th Percentile Security Systems Engineer Salary $119,918 San Diego, CA April 01, 2026
25% $90,847 10% $83,066 90% $119,918 75% $110,137 $99,395 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click
Change Search Criteria
Check out Security Systems Engineer jobs in San Diego, California

Systems Integration/Test Engineer

SEMCON GROUP LLC - Newark, CA

Product Security Engineer

Hologic - La Jolla, CA

Search More Security Systems Engineer Jobs in San Diego, California

What is a Security Systems Engineer ?

Security engineering is a specialized field of engineering that focuses on the security aspects in the design of systems that need to be able to deal robustly with possible sources of disruption, ranging from natural disasters to malicious acts. It is similar to other systems engineering activities in that its primary motivation is to support the delivery of engineering solutions that satisfy pre-defined functional and user requirements, but it has the added dimension of preventing misuse and malicious behavior. Those constraints and restrictions are often asserted as a security policy. In on...

Source: Wikipedia (as of 04/18/2019). Read more from Wikipedia

See user submitted job responsibilities for Security Systems Engineer.

Job Openings for Security Systems Engineer in San Diego, CA

Career Path for this job

  1. This Job:

    Security Systems Engineer

    0 - 2 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

  2. Up a level:

    Software Systems Engineer II

    2 - 4 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

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

Average Base Salary

Core compensation

 
 
 
90847
110137
99395

Average Total Cash Compensation

Includes base and annual incentives

 
 
 
90599
110410
101482
These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Security Systems Engineer in San Diego, CA. The base salary for Security Systems Engineer ranges from $90,847 to $110,137 with the average base salary of $99,395. The total cash compensation, which includes base, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $90,599 to $110,410 with the average total cash compensation of $101,482.

Discover how your pay is adjusted for skills, experience, and other factors

How much should you be paid?

For a real-time salary target, tell us more about your role in the four categories below.

90847
110137

 

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

Security Systems Engineer Salary in popular cities: Los AngelesSan JoseSan Francisco

Jobs with a similar salary range to Security Systems Engineer : Cryptologist, Massage Practitioner, Massage Therapy