Supply Chain Manager.
San Diego.
$124,000
median salary, 22% above the national average
$95,000 to $165,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
The median Supply Chain Manager salary in San Diego is $124,000, 22% above the national average. Entry level starts near $95,000. Experienced professionals push past $165,000. San Diego's economy thrives on defense, biotech, and a growing tech startup scene. That spread is your negotiation window. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Supply Chain Manager in San Diego, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $120,960 for Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers (SOC 11-3071) in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metropolitan area, based on 1,920 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$71,230
25th percentile
$85,950
Median
$120,960
75th percentile
$160,370
90th percentile
$201,980
Workers surveyed
1,920
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers (SOC 11-3071) rather than Supply Chain Manager specifically. The San Diego range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 11-3071Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $111,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$81,000
to $99,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$105,000
to $130,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$136,000
to $161,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$155,000
to $192,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $34,000 to the total package.
Base
$124,000
Equity
$20,000
Bonus
$12,000
Signing
$2,000
Estimated total: $158,000
How San Diego compares.
San Diego, CA
$124,000
Cost of living: 17% above average
National Average
$102,000
San Diego is $22,000 above
Supply Chain Manager salary by city.
Salary by role in San Diego.
What you should know.
Before you negotiate a Supply Chain Manager offer in San Diego, understand the terrain. San Diego's economy thrives on defense, biotech, and a growing tech startup scene. The city's proximity to major military installations drives strong aerospace and cybersecurity demand. Biotech companies along the Torrey Pines corridor compete aggressively for scientific and engineering talent, pushing specialized salaries close to Bay Area levels. Global scope and spend under management create the widest pay variations. Managers overseeing international supplier networks and $50 million or more in annual procurement earn premiums of 20 to 30%. Industry matters significantly, with pharmaceutical and semiconductor supply chain managers earning the highest salaries.
Supply chain analysts start at $60,000 to $78,000. Supply chain managers earn $95,000 to $130,000. Senior managers and directors reach $130,000 to $175,000. VPs of supply chain command $170,000 to $250,000, with chief supply chain officers exceeding $280,000 at large manufacturers. In San Diego, those numbers run higher. The cost of living here is 17% above average, and employers adjust to compete.
Base salary is not the full picture. Annual bonuses of 10 to 20% are tied to cost savings, on-time delivery, and inventory optimization metrics. Equity is common at tech and manufacturing companies. Relocation packages and international hardship premiums apply for global roles. And on the tax side: california's top 13.3% state tax applies here. While San Diego has no city income tax, the state burden means you should negotiate gross pay higher than you might expect for the cost of living. When someone quotes you $124,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Leverage defense and biotech sector demand. Candidates with security clearances or specialized science backgrounds can command 15 to 20% premiums in San Diego. The range for Supply Chain Managers in San Diego runs from $95,000 to $165,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
Considering a related role?
- A Design Engineer in San Diego earns $123,000 (1% less)
- The highest-paying role in San Diego is CTO at $347,000
Common questions.
Supply Chain Manager salary in other cities.
Other salaries in San Diego.
Related salary pages
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Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Supply Chain Manager Salary in San Diego, CA." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/supply-chain-manager/san-diego
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