Lawyer Salary in San Diego, CA
Lawyers in San Diego, CA earn a median of $178,220/year, ranging from $135,400 (25th percentile) to $336,590 (90th percentile). Prices in the area were 11.9% above the national level in 2024 (BEA regional price parity 111.9), so at national-average prices that median is equivalent to $159,286.
1Salary Distribution in San Diego, CA
2Pay Adjusted for Local Prices
Price level: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, regional price parity (all items) for the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metropolitan area, 2024. The adjustment covers prices only, not taxes. Use the Salary Calculator to compare two areas.
How Does San Diego, CA Compare?
| City | Median | Price Level | At National Prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego, CA (current) | $178,220 | 111.9 | $159,286 |
| San Francisco, CA | $212,500 | 115.6 | $183,803 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $194,410 | 113.6 | $171,187 |
| New York, NY | $208,880 | 112.6 | $185,567 |
| Seattle, WA | $164,980 | 111.1 | $148,453 |
| Boston, MA | $183,350 | 108.3 | $169,351 |
4Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average Lawyer salary in San Diego, CA?
The median Lawyer salary in San Diego, CA is $178,220 per year, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The 25th percentile is $135,400 and the 90th percentile is $336,590.
How far does a Lawyer salary go in San Diego, CA?
Prices in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metropolitan area were 11.9% above the national level in 2024: the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis puts its regional price parity at 111.9, where the United States is 100. Restated at national-average prices, the $178,220 median Lawyer wage is $159,286.
What is the price level in San Diego, CA?
The regional price parity for the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metropolitan area was 111.9 in 2024 (United States = 100), which is 11.9% above the national level. It is the all-items index published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.
What is the Lawyer salary range in San Diego, CA?
In San Diego, CA, Lawyers earn between $135,400 (25th percentile) and $336,590 (90th percentile), with a median of $178,220 per year.
How many Lawyer jobs are there in San Diego, CA?
BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates put employment at 8,020 Lawyer positions in the San Diego, CA metropolitan area.
What do Lawyers earn in San Diego, CA?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 data, Lawyers in San Diego, CA earn a median annual wage of $178,220. The middle 50% earn between $135,400 and $223,020. The top 10% earn more than $336,590.There are approximately 8,020 Lawyers employed in the San Diego, CA metro area.
How do prices in San Diego, CA affect a Lawyer salary?
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis publishes a regional price parity for each metropolitan area. In its words: “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.” For the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metropolitan area the 2024 figure is 111.9, which is 11.9% above the national level. Dividing the $178,220 median wage by that price level gives $159,286at national-average prices. The adjustment uses BEA's all-items index and covers prices only, not taxes.
Compare San Diego, CA with Another City
See a side-by-side comparison of wages and local price levels.
5More Lawyer Wage Data
Other metro areas for the same occupation: San Francisco, CA ($212,500 median, price level 115.6); Los Angeles, CA ($194,410 median, price level 113.6); New York, NY ($208,880 median, price level 112.6). The table above restates each median at national-average prices.
For side-by-side comparisons, try the full city ranking for Lawyers or the California state overview.
Underlying wage source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Program. Figures are U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025 estimates (annual wages: median and 25th, 75th and 90th percentiles; employment) for BLS occupation "Lawyers" (23-1011) in the metropolitan statistical area named in this source line, retrieved 2026-10-02. BLS area: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA. Actual salaries may vary based on experience, education, employer size, and specific role. Price levels: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, regional price parities (all items) for 2024, tables last updated February 19, 2026. See our data disclaimer.