Machine Learning Engineer Salary: San Diego, CA vs San Francisco, CA
BLS does not publish a separate estimate for Machine Learning Engineers. The figures on this page are the BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates for Data Scientists (15-2051), the closest published occupation.
Side-by-side comparison of wages and local price levels for Machine Learning Engineers in San Diego, CA and San Francisco, CA, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data and BEA regional price parities for 2024.
1Which City Pays More?
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | San Diego, CA | San Francisco, CA | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Annual Salary | $130,990 | $170,110▲ | -$39,120 |
| 25th Percentile | $93,420 | $130,430▲ | -$37,010 |
| 75th Percentile | $164,160 | $212,970▲ | -$48,810 |
| 90th Percentile | $201,190 | $272,430▲ | -$71,240 |
| Price Level (BEA 2024, US = 100) | 111.9 | 115.6 | -3.7 |
| Median at National-Average Prices | $117,073 | $147,137▲ | -$30,064 |
| Total Employment | 2,830 | 10,460 | -7,630 |
3Summary Analysis
On paper, San Francisco, CA pays $39,120 more (median: $130,990 vs $170,110). BEA's regional price parity is 111.9 in San Diego, CA and 115.6 in San Francisco, CA (United States = 100). At national-average prices the medians are $117,073 and $147,137, so San Francisco, CA comes out ahead once local prices are counted.
5Reading This Comparison
The $39,120 gap between the two medians is a gap in dollars, not in what those dollars buy. Dividing each median by its area's regional price parity restates it at national-average prices: $117,073 for San Diego and $147,137 for San Francisco, a difference of $30,064.
The price levels come from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, which describes them this way: “Regional price parities (RPPs) measure the differences in price levels across states and metropolitan areas for a given year and are expressed as a percentage of the overall national price level.” The figures used here are the all-items index for each whole metropolitan area (San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA) and cover prices only, not taxes.
BLS estimates 2,830 Machine Learning Engineer jobs in the San Diego area and 10,460 in the San Francisco area. For broader context, see our California overview and the full Machine Learning Engineer city ranking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Machine Learning Engineer salary higher in San Diego, CA or San Francisco, CA?
San Francisco, CA has the higher median wage for Machine Learning Engineers ($170,110 per year, against $130,990 in San Diego, CA; BLS OEWS May 2025). Restated at national-average prices using BEA regional price parities, the medians are $117,073 in San Diego, CA and $147,137 in San Francisco, CA.
How do prices compare between San Diego, CA and San Francisco, CA?
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis puts the 2024 regional price parity at 111.9 for the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metropolitan area and 115.6 for the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metropolitan area, where the United States is 100. That is 11.9% above the national level for San Diego, CA and 15.6% above the national level for San Francisco, CA.
Which city pays Machine Learning Engineers more once local prices are counted?
San Francisco, CA: at national-average prices its median Machine Learning Engineer wage is $147,137, against $117,073 for San Diego, CA. The adjustment divides each median by the area's BEA regional price parity and covers prices only, not taxes.