2026 Salary Data · San Diego, CA

Product Designer Salary in San Diego

How much does a Product Designer make in San Diego? Salary data, top employers, and career insights for Product Designers in the San Diego area.

$163K
Median Total Comp
Baseline
vs National Avg
high
Cost of Living
600+
Product Roles

How Much Does a Product Designer Make in San Diego?

Product Designers in San Diego earn a median of $163K in total compensation, 0% above the national average. The cost of living is above average, but San Diego's strength in Healthcare / Healthtech creates steady demand for experienced product talent. Salaries range from $136K (25th percentile) to $202K (75th percentile).

San Diego's cost-of-living index is 140 (vs 100 national average), placing it in the moderate range. A $163K Product Designer salary provides solid purchasing power relative to the national average.

$119K$220K
P25-P75 Median

Product Designer Salary by Company Type in San Diego

FAANG / Big Tech
$212K
+30%
Pre-IPO Unicorn
$187K
+15%
Growth Startup (B/C)
$163K
Baseline
Enterprise / Fortune 500
$171K
+5%
Early Startup (Seed/A)
$139K
-15%
Agency / Consulting
$130K
-20%

Top Employers for Product Designers in San Diego

QualcommIntuitServiceNowIlluminaTeradataViasat

San Diego has a growing tech scene anchored by Qualcomm and a strong biotech cluster. PM roles often intersect with healthcare, defense, and IoT. Quality of life is a major draw for relocating PMs.

Healthcare / HealthtechDeveloper Tools / InfrastructureB2B SaaS (General)

Other Product Roles in San Diego

Chief Product Officer
15+ years
$480K
+194%
VP of Product
12+ years
$405K
+148%
Director of Product
10-15 years
$370K
+127%
Staff Product Manager
8-12 years
$315K
+93%
AI Product Manager
3-7 years
$305K
+87%
Platform Product Manager
5-9 years
$275K
+69%

Product Designer Salary in Other Cities

Los Angeles, CA
high cost of living
$166K
+2%
Phoenix, AZ
moderate cost of living
$143K
-12%
Denver, CO
moderate cost of living
$158K
-3%
Austin, TX
moderate cost of living
$158K
-3%
San Francisco, CA
very-high cost of living
$196K
+20%
San Jose, CA
very-high cost of living
$192K
+18%
New York City, NY
very-high cost of living
$187K
+15%

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Product Designer make in San Diego?+
The median total compensation for a Product Designer in San Diego is $163K, with the 25th to 75th percentile range spanning $136K to $202K. This is 0% above the national average of $163K.
What companies hire Product Designers in San Diego?+
Top employers for Product Designers in San Diego include Qualcomm, Intuit, ServiceNow, Illumina, Teradata. San Diego has a growing tech scene anchored by Qualcomm and a strong biotech cluster.
Is San Diego a good city for Product Designers?+
San Diego has a moderate product job market with approximately 600+ open product roles. The cost of living is high. Strong industries include Healthcare / Healthtech, Developer Tools / Infrastructure, B2B SaaS (General).
How does Product Designer salary in San Diego compare to other cities?+
San Diego pays 0% above the national average for Product Designers. For comparison, San Francisco pays +20%, New York pays +12%, and Austin is the baseline. Similar markets include Los Angeles, Phoenix, Denver, Austin.
Do Product Designers in San Diego earn more with AI experience?+
Yes. The AI specialization premium for Product Designers in San Diego is 12%, bringing the median from $163K to $183K. While San Diego's AI ecosystem is still developing, companies here still pay the premium for AI-experienced PMs.
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