Sales Development Representative salary in San Diego-Chula Vista, CA
The median sales development representative in San Diego-Chula Vista earned $74,610 a year in May 20251. That is 6.6% above the US median of $69,990, even though it is 7.7% below the California statewide median of $80,850. Only 43 of 520 US areas pay more for this job. About 11,730 sales development representatives work here, 8% of the California total.
BLS occupation 41-3091, area San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in San Diego-Chula Vista against California and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego-Chula Vista, CA | $41,250 | $74,610 | $151,560 | |
| California | $43,240 | $80,850 | $168,720 | |
| United States | $37,980 | $69,990 | $148,840 |
The middle half of sales development representatives in San Diego-Chula Vista earns $47,140–$104,410. The top tenth earns $151,560 or more, 3.7 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 3.9 times. The mean ($85,600) is 15% over the median, so a group of high earners pulls the average up; price a typical hire from the median. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $57,270 wide, between the figure for California ($67,790) and the US figure ($52,810).
What to budget for a sales development representative here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $41,250 | $3,438 | $19.83 | $53,226 |
| 25th percentile | $47,140 | $3,928 | $22.66 | $60,826 |
| Median | $74,610 | $6,218 | $35.87 | $96,271 |
| 75th percentile | $104,410 | $8,701 | $50.20 | $134,723 |
| 90th percentile | $151,560 | $12,630 | $72.87 | $195,561 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $29,800 a year in pay and about $38,452 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $27,470 in pay. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $69,990 falls between the 25th percentile and the median in San Diego-Chula Vista, and the California statewide median of $80,850 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in San Diego-Chula Vista
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $21,661 to the $74,610 median and brings it to $96,271 a year. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for sales development representatives we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in San Diego-Chula Vista
Of the 17 roles we track in San Diego-Chula Vista, this one ranks #8 by median pay, between office managers ($76,120) and payroll specialists ($63,810). Project Coordinator is the highest at $117,460.
| Role | Median | vs sales development representative | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +2.3% | 4,440 | |
| Office Manager | +2.0% | 11,780 | |
| Sales Development Representative | this role | 11,730 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -14.5% | 1,840 | |
| Bookkeeper | -21.5% | 12,830 |
Measured against the US median, sales development representatives rank #14 of the 17 roles we track in San Diego-Chula Vista (+6.6%), between recruiters (+7.1%) and data entry specialists (+5.9%). The typical role here is at +10.3%, so, measured against the US, sales development representatives cost less in San Diego-Chula Vista than the area's general pay level would suggest. Sales development representatives hold 9.2% of the jobs in the 16 of these roles with a job count in San Diego-Chula Vista, 10.1% across California and 8.4% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in California
Across the 28 areas of California with data for this job, the median runs from $46,050 in Hanford-Corcoran to $116,510 in San Jose-Sunnyvale, a gap of $70,460 a year. All 3 areas in California with more sales development representatives than San Diego-Chula Vista also pay more, among them Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA ($79,450) and San Francisco-Oakland, CA ($96,960).
| Area | Median | vs San Diego-Chula Vista | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale, CA | +56.2% | 13,390 | |
| San Francisco-Oakland, CA | +30.0% | 29,980 | |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | +6.5% | 50,470 | |
| San Diego-Chula Vista, CA | this area | 11,730 | |
| Napa, CA | -1.5% | 370 | |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | -2.4% | 1,470 | |
| Sacramento-Roseville, CA | -3.6% | 6,920 |
San Diego-Chula Vista against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, San Diego-Chula Vista is #22 of 518 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job and one of the better-paying ones. Outside California, Amherst Town-Northampton and Portland-Vancouver pay just above San Diego-Chula Vista and Hartford-West Hartford and Pueblo just below. All four are within $400 a year of the median in San Diego-Chula Vista. Of the three markets with about as many sales development representatives, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs San Diego-Chula Vista | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma, WA | +10.6% | 12,450 | jobs | |
| Detroit-Warren, MI | +3.2% | 13,130 | jobs | |
| Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA | +0.4% | 7,530 | pay | |
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | +0.1% | 250 | pay | |
| San Diego-Chula Vista, CA | this area | 11,730 | ||
| Hartford-West Hartford, CT | -0.5% | 3,800 | pay | |
| Pueblo, CO | -0.5% | 480 | pay | |
| Baltimore-Columbia, MD | -17.1% | 11,340 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a sales development representative in San Diego-Chula Vista, CA?
About $96,271 a year at the median, or $8,023 a month: $74,610 in pay plus about $21,661 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do sales development representatives earn in San Diego-Chula Vista?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $74,610 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $41,250, the 90th $151,560, and the middle half earned $47,140 to $104,410.
Is San Diego-Chula Vista cheaper than the rest of California for sales development representatives?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $74,610 against $80,850 statewide. The next area up in California is Los Angeles-Long Beach at $79,450, the next down Napa at $73,470.
How many sales development representatives work in San Diego-Chula Vista?
BLS counts about 11,730 in the May 2025 survey. That is 8% of the California total of 156,110. 3 areas in California have more; the closest in size is San Jose-Sunnyvale, with about 13,390.
Does a sales development representative cost more than a payroll specialist in San Diego-Chula Vista?
Yes: $10,800 a year more at the median. The medians are $74,610 and $63,810.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 41-3091: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.