Machine Learning Engineer Jobs in San Diego, CA (July 2026)
Machine Learning Engineer opportunities in San Diego, California — mid-level pay $235,625, top employers Qualcomm, Illumina, Northrop Grumman, and live postings aggregated from 50+ boards. San Diego is a thriving hub for biotech, defense, and telecommunications, with companies like Qualcomm headquartered in the region. The city has one o...
By Workzil Editorial · Career Research Team
Updated July 28, 2026
Salary ranges cost-of-living-adjusted to San Diego (index: very-high). Live postings refresh hourly from Workzil's aggregated job feed.
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Machine Learning Engineer salary in San Diego
Junior · 0-2 yrs
$137,750 – $188,500
Cost-of-living adjusted
Mid-Level · 3-5 yrs
$203,000 – $268,250
Cost-of-living adjusted
Senior · 6-12 yrs
$275,500 – $406,000
Cost-of-living adjusted
Base salaries shown. Total compensation including equity and bonus typically 15-50% higher at major tech employers.
Top San Diego employers hiring machine learning engineers
QualcommIlluminaNorthrop GrummanUC San Diego HealthGeneral Atomics
Top industries in San Diego: Biotechnology, Defense & Military, Telecommunications, Healthcare.
San Diego job market context
San Diego is a thriving hub for biotech, defense, and telecommunications, with companies like Qualcomm headquartered in the region. The city has one of the highest concentrations of biotech firms in the country and benefits from proximity to major military installations. Strong research universities and a pleasant climate help attract and retain top talent across STEM fields.
- Population: 1.4M
- Cost of living: very high
- Average salary: $130,000
- State: California