2026 Salary Data · San Diego, CA

Staff Product Manager Salary in San Diego

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

$315K
Median Total Comp
Baseline
vs National Avg
high
Cost of Living
600+
Product Roles

How Much Does a Staff Product Manager Make in San Diego?

Staff Product Managers in San Diego earn a median of $315K 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 $255K (25th percentile) to $405K (75th percentile).

San Diego's cost-of-living index is 140 (vs 100 national average), placing it in the moderate range. A $315K Staff PM salary provides solid purchasing power relative to the national average.

$215K$460K
P25-P75 Median

AI Specialization Premium in San Diego

Standard Staff PM
$315K
$255K - $405K
AI-Specialized Staff PM
$403K
$326K - $518K

Staff Product Managers with AI/ML experience earn a 28% premium in San Diego. While San Diego's AI ecosystem is still growing, companies here pay the premium to attract AI-experienced PMs.

Staff Product Manager Salary by Company Type in San Diego

FAANG / Big Tech
$410K
+30%
Pre-IPO Unicorn
$362K
+15%
Growth Startup (B/C)
$315K
Baseline
Enterprise / Fortune 500
$331K
+5%
Early Startup (Seed/A)
$268K
-15%
Agency / Consulting
$252K
-20%

Top Employers for Staff Product Managers 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
+52%
VP of Product
12+ years
$405K
+29%
Director of Product
10-15 years
$370K
+17%
AI Product Manager
3-7 years
$305K
-3%
Platform Product Manager
5-9 years
$275K
-13%
Technical Product Manager
4-8 years
$270K
-14%

Staff Product Manager Salary in Other Cities

Los Angeles, CA
high cost of living
$321K
+2%
Phoenix, AZ
moderate cost of living
$277K
-12%
Denver, CO
moderate cost of living
$306K
-3%
Austin, TX
moderate cost of living
$306K
-3%
San Francisco, CA
very-high cost of living
$378K
+20%
San Jose, CA
very-high cost of living
$372K
+18%
New York City, NY
very-high cost of living
$362K
+15%

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Staff Product Manager make in San Diego?+
The median total compensation for a Staff Product Manager in San Diego is $315K, with the 25th to 75th percentile range spanning $255K to $405K. This is 0% above the national average of $315K.
What companies hire Staff Product Managers in San Diego?+
Top employers for Staff Product Managers 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 Staff Product Managers?+
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 Staff Product Manager salary in San Diego compare to other cities?+
San Diego pays 0% above the national average for Staff Product Managers. For comparison, San Francisco pays +20%, New York pays +12%, and Austin is the baseline. Similar markets include Los Angeles, Phoenix, Denver, Austin.
Do Staff Product Managers in San Diego earn more with AI experience?+
Yes. The AI specialization premium for Staff Product Managers in San Diego is 28%, bringing the median from $315K to $403K. While San Diego's AI ecosystem is still developing, companies here still pay the premium for AI-experienced PMs.
View National Staff PM SalaryFull PM Salary ExplorerCareer Path Finder