Security engineer salary ranges in San Diego

What open security postings in San Diego say they pay: the top and the low end of the range each one states, in yearly dollars.

$151,000median top

Bars: how many postings top out in each $25k step. From 111 open postings that state pay, read October 14, 2026.

By level

How far the posted top moves from one level to the next, for security in San Diego.

The middle half of posted tops by level, in San Diego

Senior11 postings

$164,000$155k–$198k
Staff and principal24 postings

$201,000$188k–$235k

Best-paying companies in San Diego

Ranked by the median top of their open security postings in San Diego, among companies with at least three that state pay.

The companies whose security postings in San Diego state the highest median top

Qualcomm15 with pay

$212,000$192k–$229k
Ngc12 with pay

$188,000$166k–$219k
Northrop Grumman11 with pay

$188,000$161k–$201k
Working at L3Harris Technologies3 with pay

$164,000$146k–$198k
Johnson Controls3 with pay

$86,000$73k–$91k
Aus4 with pay

$59,000$42k–$76k
INTER-CON SECURITY SYSTEMS INC10 with pay

$48,000$44k–$50k
Ovg3 with pay

$46,000$46k–$46k
Target7 with pay

$44,000$44k–$44k

Security engineer pay by place

The same work in every place with enough postings, highest median first; San Diego is marked.

The middle half of posted tops for security, by place

SF Bay Area1,046 postings

$248,000$196k–$300k
Seattle418 postings

$227,000$194k–$258k
Remote1,295 postings

$202,000$165k–$252k
Austin130 postings

$202,000$168k–$234k
New York709 postings

$200,000$119k–$255k
Boston208 postings

$187,000$98k–$216k
Philadelphia27 postings

$175,000$94k–$249k
Dallas130 postings

$169,000$115k–$213k
Raleigh–Durham24 postings

$169,000$84k–$201k
Washington DC615 postings

$167,000$133k–$220k
All of the US10,857 postings

$165,000$83k–$220k
Denver105 postings

$163,000$104k–$220k
San Diego111 postings

$151,000$52k–$199k
Chicago182 postings

$150,000$65k–$195k
Atlanta67 postings

$150,000$103k–$205k
Los Angeles208 postings

$142,000$71k–$199k
Salt Lake City27 postings

$94,000$54k–$135k
Miami37 postings

$92,000$42k–$192k

Other work in San Diego

Using these numbers

Before you apply, check where the posting's own range sits against the middle half here. A range far below it is worth a question before you spend an afternoon on the application.
When they ask what you expect, a figure inside the middle half for your level is one the market has already posted. Name the top of the posting's range if your experience matches what it asks for.
Remember what a top is: the most a company says it may pay for the role. Offers land anywhere in the range, and equity and bonus are not in it.

Questions

How much do security engineer jobs pay in San Diego?

Open security postings in San Diego that state pay post a median top of $151,000 a year; the middle half runs from $52,000 to $199,000, and the median low end of the ranges is $101,000. That is from 111 postings as of October 14, 2026.

How does the pay change with level?

For security postings in San Diego, the median posted top is $164,000 for senior, $201,000 for staff and principal.

Which companies post the most for security in San Diego?

Among companies with at least three postings that state pay, Qualcomm ($212,000), Ngc ($188,000), Northrop Grumman ($188,000) post the highest median tops.

Where do these numbers come from?

From the pay ranges employers state in their own open job postings, which DonutApply reads from company job boards and public job feeds every day. They are what a company says it may pay for the role, not salaries anyone reported.

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