How Much Do Data Science Jobs Pay in San Diego? (November 2026)
As of November 2026, the median data science salary in San Diego is $165,500 a year. Most roles pay between $101,450 and $238,234 (the 10th–90th percentile), drawn from 76 live salaried listings across 33 companies. All figures are converted to annual US dollars so different sources compare like-for-like.
How pay has moved
Median base salary by month, from our monthly salary snapshots.
Highest-paying employers
- AVP, AI/ML - Generative Foundation Models for BiotherapeuticsDirector, AI/ML - Generative Foundation Models for BiotherapeuticsAdvisor - AI/ML Generative Foundation Models for BiotherapeuticsAll Lilly roles →
- All Bakertilly roles →
- Senior Staff Data Platform Engineer - Apache Iceberg - Apache SparkSr Staff Software Engineer (Distributed Systems | Data Ingestion | Storage | Analytics) - RemoteStaff Data Platform Software Engineer - PersistenceSenior Staff Software Engineer - Data Platform - Kubernetes - Distributed Systems - FederalStaff Software Engineer - Data Platform - Kubernetes - Distributed Systems - FederalAll Servicenow roles →
- Senior Data EngineerSenior Data ScientistAnalyst, Digital Employee Experience (DEX) Operations & AnalyticsAll Sony roles →
- Senior Staff AI Engineer, (AI Quality & Test Automation)Senior Bioinformatics Scientist – AI/ML for Protein EngineeringAll Illumina roles →
Employers ranked by median advertised base among those with at least two salaried listings in San Diego; each one’s best-paying open roles are listed beneath it.
Methodology: data science listings in San Diego with a published salary, updated daily. Figures come from roles that are open right now. Ranges and single figures are converted to an annual US-dollar midpoint; hourly rates are annualised and out-of-band values dropped. Salary data is self-reported by employers and covers the roles that disclose pay — treat it as a directional guide, not a guarantee.