Prevailing Wage · 2025-26
H1B Prevailing Wage in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
The U.S. Department of Labor sets four prevailing wage levels for every occupation in each wage area. These are the legal minimum H1B salaries in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA across 133 occupations, from entry (Level I) to senior (Level IV).
For example, the H1B prevailing wage for Software Developers in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA is $102,794 at Level I (entry), rising to $184,974 at Level IV (senior), for the 2025-26 wage year.
| Occupation | Level IEntry | Level IIQualified | Level IIIExperienced | Level IVSenior |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $102,794 | $130,187 | $157,581 | $184,974 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | $74,651 | $94,806 | $114,982 | $135,138 |
| Data Scientists | $74,526 | $102,710 | $130,915 | $159,099 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $130,998 | $166,026 | $201,074 | $236,101 |
| Computer Programmers | $77,168 | $101,629 | $126,110 | $150,571 |
| Computer Systems Analysts | $81,162 | $100,610 | $120,037 | $139,485 |
| Electronics Engineers, Except Computer | $105,269 | $128,898 | $152,506 | $176,134 |
| Mechanical Engineers | $89,814 | $108,430 | $127,026 | $145,642 |
| Financial and Investment Analysts | $70,554 | $92,227 | $113,880 | $135,554 |
| Accountants and Auditors | $64,875 | $84,718 | $104,541 | $124,384 |
| Database Administrators | $68,973 | $91,291 | $113,630 | $135,949 |
| Electrical Engineers | $84,573 | $110,781 | $136,989 | $163,197 |
| Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | $85,509 | $105,518 | $125,507 | $145,517 |
| Management Analysts | $71,781 | $94,786 | $117,811 | $140,816 |
| Operations Research Analysts | $67,163 | $84,614 | $102,066 | $119,517 |
| Network and Computer Systems Administrators | $72,446 | $88,712 | $104,978 | $121,243 |
| Computer and Information Research Scientists | $75,982 | $102,149 | $128,294 | $154,461 |
| Industrial Engineers | $81,245 | $101,546 | $121,846 | $142,147 |
| Database Architects | $94,910 | $123,448 | $151,965 | $180,502 |
| Information Security Analysts | $75,899 | $105,165 | $134,451 | $163,717 |
| Civil Engineers | $80,163 | $98,322 | $116,501 | $134,659 |
| Project Management Specialists | $73,278 | $94,702 | $116,126 | $137,550 |
| Biochemists and Biophysicists | $75,171 | $95,763 | $116,355 | $136,947 |
| Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists | $51,875 | $72,946 | $94,037 | $115,107 |
| Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists | $47,195 | $60,632 | $74,069 | $87,506 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $143,603 | $169,250 | $194,896 | $220,542 |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $126,027,200 | $153,316,800 | $180,606,400 | $207,896,000 |
| Sales Engineers | $82,389 | $106,538 | $130,686 | $154,835 |
| Computer Network Architects | $81,910 | $106,642 | $131,394 | $156,125 |
| Statisticians | $55,848 | $84,510 | $113,194 | $141,856 |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $134,118,400 | $210,585,440 | $287,054,560 | $363,521,600 |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | $140,296,000 | $187,380,960 | $234,463,840 | $281,548,800 |
| Lawyers | $89,398 | $141,274 | $193,149 | $245,024 |
| Marketing Managers | $106,891 | $150,384 | $193,856 | $237,349 |
| Business Teachers, Postsecondary | $124,924,800 | $201,870,240 | $278,817,760 | $355,763,200 |
| Materials Engineers | $85,842 | $103,314 | $120,765 | $138,237 |
| Chemists | $63,981 | $83,221 | $102,482 | $121,722 |
| Physicists | $50,565 | $88,296 | $126,006 | $163,738 |
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | $144,996,800 | $203,118,240 | $261,241,760 | $319,363,200 |
| Web and Digital Interface Designers | $65,083 | $93,350 | $121,638 | $149,906 |
| Financial Risk Specialists | $66,248 | $94,557 | $122,866 | $151,174 |
| Computer Hardware Engineers | $123,843 | $148,762 | $173,680 | $198,598 |
| Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary | $146,577,600 | $234,790,400 | $323,003,200 | $411,216,000 |
| Physical Therapists | $71,386 | $90,459 | $109,512 | $128,586 |
| Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers | $85,862 | $104,541 | $123,219 | $141,898 |
| Financial Managers | $108,451 | $150,363 | $192,275 | $234,187 |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | $64,459 | $92,622 | $120,765 | $148,928 |
| Biological Scientists, All Other | $78,541 | $97,469 | $116,376 | $135,304 |
| Construction Managers | $85,238 | $109,117 | $133,016 | $156,894 |
| Logisticians | $64,605 | $80,974 | $97,365 | $113,734 |
| Architects, Except Landscape and Naval | $78,166 | $102,835 | $127,483 | $152,152 |
| Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | $127,108,800 | $148,497,440 | $169,888,160 | $191,276,800 |
| Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary | $175,947,200 | $240,899,360 | $305,849,440 | $370,801,600 |
| Registered Nurses | $106,080 | $122,637 | $139,173 | $155,730 |
| Dentists, General | $107,744 | $145,080 | $182,416 | $219,752 |
| Biological Technicians | $48,922 | $57,138 | $65,354 | $73,570 |
| Materials Scientists | $47,050 | $69,056 | $91,042 | $113,048 |
| Occupational Therapists | $88,483 | $101,234 | $113,963 | $126,714 |
| Industrial Production Managers | $84,677 | $113,069 | $141,482 | $169,874 |
| Rehabilitation Counselors | $37,981 | $43,098 | $48,235 | $53,352 |
| Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary | $110,364,800 | $184,392,000 | $258,419,200 | $332,446,400 |
| Economics Teachers, Postsecondary | $177,382,400 | $240,510,400 | $303,638,400 | $366,766,400 |
| Web Developers | $54,392 | $82,118 | $109,866 | $137,592 |
| Cost Estimators | $57,554 | $75,816 | $94,078 | $112,341 |
| Soil and Plant Scientists | $58,822 | $73,133 | $87,422 | $101,733 |
| Commercial and Industrial Designers | $67,413 | $83,242 | $99,070 | $114,899 |
| Economists | $63,898 | $88,899 | $113,880 | $138,882 |
| Natural Sciences Managers | $137,467 | $176,634 | $215,779 | $254,946 |
| Human Resources Specialists | $55,058 | $71,989 | $88,899 | $105,830 |
| Computer Network Support Specialists | $56,638 | $68,931 | $81,224 | $93,517 |
| Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary | $211,660,800 | $290,915,040 | $370,171,360 | $449,425,600 |
| Mental Health Counselors | $44,470 | $56,451 | $68,432 | $80,413 |
| Special Education Teachers, Elementary School | $141,273,600 | $167,412,960 | $193,550,240 | $219,689,600 |
| Pharmacists | $120,370 | $141,461 | $162,573 | $183,664 |
| Sales Managers | $65,978 | $105,893 | $145,808 | $185,723 |
| Microbiologists | $65,229 | $83,491 | $101,754 | $120,016 |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | $85,592 | $127,379 | $169,166 | $210,954 |
| Social Science Research Assistants | $35,630 | $48,526 | $61,422 | $74,318 |
| Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary | $127,233,600 | $194,161,760 | $261,087,840 | $328,016,000 |
| Environmental Engineers | $88,858 | $106,080 | $123,323 | $140,546 |
| Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors | $56,410 | $74,838 | $93,246 | $111,675 |
| Epidemiologists | $73,133 | $90,813 | $108,514 | $126,194 |
| Communications Teachers, Postsecondary | $177,195,200 | $244,260,640 | $311,328,160 | $378,393,600 |
| Chief Executives | $124,446 | $202,738 | $281,050 | $359,341 |
| Purchasing Managers | $105,269 | $131,810 | $158,350 | $184,891 |
| Education Teachers, Postsecondary | $95,825,600 | $147,368,000 | $198,910,400 | $250,452,800 |
| Education Administrators, Postsecondary | $78,437 | $108,451 | $138,445 | $168,459 |
| Instructional Coordinators | $64,002 | $83,699 | $103,418 | $123,115 |
| Veterinarians | $97,947 | $133,162 | $168,376 | $203,590 |
| Food Scientists and Technologists | $60,944 | $75,733 | $90,501 | $105,290 |
| Public Relations Specialists | $52,811 | $68,952 | $85,093 | $101,234 |
| Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other | $45,677 | $68,349 | $91,000 | $113,672 |
| Credit Analysts | $60,320 | $79,102 | $97,906 | $116,688 |
| Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | $62,400 | $78,042 | $93,704 | $109,346 |
| Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary | $118,123,200 | $172,161,600 | $226,200,000 | $280,238,400 |
| Actuaries | $84,906 | $109,138 | $133,349 | $157,581 |
| Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers | $75,067 | $94,203 | $113,360 | $132,496 |
| Atmospheric and Space Scientists | $82,576 | $99,424 | $116,251 | $133,099 |
| Coaches and Scouts | $74,048,000 | $97,891,040 | $121,736,160 | $145,579,200 |
| Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary | $200,720,000 | $273,790,400 | $346,860,800 | $419,931,200 |
| Speech-Language Pathologists | $69,638 | $87,859 | $106,080 | $124,301 |
| Interior Designers | $54,517 | $70,762 | $87,027 | $103,272 |
| Physics Teachers, Postsecondary | $194,916,800 | $263,542,240 | $332,169,760 | $400,795,200 |
| Special Education Teachers, Secondary School | $140,379,200 | $192,156,640 | $243,936,160 | $295,713,600 |
| Training and Development Specialists | $46,197 | $61,402 | $76,586 | $91,790 |
| Budget Analysts | $77,376 | $91,936 | $106,475 | $121,035 |
| Postsecondary Teachers, All Other | $127,712,000 | $190,700,640 | $253,691,360 | $316,680,000 |
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $70,616 | $96,845 | $123,053 | $149,282 |
| Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All Other | $83,803 | $103,854 | $123,885 | $143,936 |
| Landscape Architects | $63,918 | $84,198 | $104,458 | $124,738 |
| Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary | $122,054,400 | $187,892,640 | $253,732,960 | $319,571,200 |
| Clergy | $47,840 | $65,166 | $82,493 | $99,819 |
| Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products | $57,720 | $74,152 | $90,605 | $107,037 |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | $49,046 | $70,928 | $92,830 | $114,712 |
| Aerospace Engineers | $99,611 | $119,621 | $139,630 | $159,640 |
| English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary | $174,699,200 | $245,134,240 | $315,571,360 | $386,006,400 |
| Social and Community Service Managers | $57,699 | $72,800 | $87,901 | $103,002 |
| Special Effects Artists and Animators | $76,378 | $91,416 | $106,454 | $121,493 |
| History Teachers, Postsecondary | $166,108,800 | $227,712,160 | $289,313,440 | $350,916,800 |
| Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary | $131,726,400 | $194,411,360 | $257,094,240 | $319,779,200 |
| Compliance Officers | $61,173 | $79,019 | $96,845 | $114,691 |
| Urban and Regional Planners | $77,834 | $91,146 | $104,478 | $117,790 |
| Technical Writers | $68,078 | $86,986 | $105,872 | $124,779 |
| Human Resources Managers | $105,914 | $141,710 | $177,486 | $213,283 |
| Engineers, All Other | $85,280 | $108,493 | $131,726 | $154,939 |
| Financial Examiners | $68,786 | $86,154 | $103,501 | $120,869 |
| Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education | $112,944,000 | $128,662,560 | $144,379,040 | $160,097,600 |
| Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | $160,971,200 | $212,686,240 | $264,403,360 | $316,118,400 |
| Special Education Teachers, Middle School | $128,731,200 | $154,633,440 | $180,537,760 | $206,440,000 |
| Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | $130,083,200 | $190,596,640 | $251,112,160 | $311,625,600 |
| Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors | $68,557 | $90,938 | $113,339 | $135,720 |
| Architectural and Civil Drafters | $57,491 | $68,245 | $78,998 | $89,752 |
| Exercise Physiologists | $35,589 | $43,826 | $52,083 | $60,320 |
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Prevailing wages are published by the U.S. Department of Labor, OFLC for the 2025-26 wage year, based on BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) for the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA area. Hourly rates are annualized at 2,080 hours. These are the legal minimum an employer must pay; actual offers are often higher.