Aerospace & Defense salaries in San Diego
| Role | BLS occupation | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Executive Officer | Chief Executives | $156K | $238K | $387K | $493K |
| Chief Operating Officer | Chief Executives | $156K | $238K | $387K | $493K |
| Chief Technology Officer | Architectural and Engineering Managers | $165K | $203K | $225K | $283K |
| Chief Engineering Officer | Architectural and Engineering Managers | $165K | $203K | $225K | $283K |
| VP Defense Programs | General and Operations Managers | $78K | $120K | $177K | $267K |
| VP Engineering | Architectural and Engineering Managers | $165K | $203K | $225K | $283K |
| VP Systems Engineering | Architectural and Engineering Managers | $165K | $203K | $225K | $283K |
| VP Manufacturing | Industrial Production Managers | $106K | $132K | $172K | $222K |
| Director of Program Management | General and Operations Managers | $78K | $120K | $177K | $267K |
| Director of Systems Engineering | Architectural and Engineering Managers | $165K | $203K | $225K | $283K |
| Director of Quality Assurance | Industrial Production Managers | $106K | $132K | $172K | $222K |
| Director of Business Development | Sales Managers | $79K | $120K | $183K | $266K |
Advanced Manufacturing salaries in San Diego
| Role | BLS occupation | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Manufacturing Officer | Chief Executives | $156K | $238K | $387K | $493K |
| Chief Operating Officer | Chief Executives | $156K | $238K | $387K | $493K |
| VP Manufacturing | Industrial Production Managers | $106K | $132K | $172K | $222K |
| VP Operations | General and Operations Managers | $78K | $120K | $177K | $267K |
| VP Supply Chain | Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $86K | $121K | $160K | $202K |
| VP Quality | Industrial Production Managers | $106K | $132K | $172K | $222K |
| Plant Manager | Industrial Production Managers | $106K | $132K | $172K | $222K |
| Director of Manufacturing Engineering | Architectural and Engineering Managers | $165K | $203K | $225K | $283K |
| Director of Continuous Improvement | Industrial Production Managers | $106K | $132K | $172K | $222K |
| Director of Lean Manufacturing | Industrial Production Managers | $106K | $132K | $172K | $222K |
| Director of Quality | Industrial Production Managers | $106K | $132K | $172K | $222K |
| Director of Supply Chain | Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $86K | $121K | $160K | $202K |
Technology & AI salaries in San Diego
| Role | BLS occupation | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Technology Officer | Computer and Information Systems Managers | $165K | $207K | $262K | $305K |
| Chief AI Officer | Computer and Information Systems Managers | $165K | $207K | $262K | $305K |
| Chief Data Officer | Computer and Information Systems Managers | $165K | $207K | $262K | $305K |
| Chief Information Security Officer | Computer and Information Systems Managers | $165K | $207K | $262K | $305K |
| VP Engineering | Computer and Information Systems Managers | $165K | $207K | $262K | $305K |
| VP Data Science | Computer and Information Systems Managers | $165K | $207K | $262K | $305K |
| VP Software Engineering | Computer and Information Systems Managers | $165K | $207K | $262K | $305K |
| Director of Software Engineering | Computer and Information Systems Managers | $165K | $207K | $262K | $305K |
| Director of Data Science | Computer and Information Systems Managers | $165K | $207K | $262K | $305K |
| Director of Cybersecurity | Computer and Information Systems Managers | $165K | $207K | $262K | $305K |
| Head of AI | Computer and Information Systems Managers | $165K | $207K | $262K | $305K |
How to read these numbers
Figures are annual base wages from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Bonus, long-term incentives and equity are not included.
BLS groups several executive titles under one occupation, and each occupation also includes less senior managers. Director, VP and C-suite seats therefore usually sit in the upper half of the range. California's top marginal income tax is 13.3% (incl. mental-health surcharge); RSU concentration and AMT exposure should be modeled before any offer is finalized.
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