[quote=AN][quote=CA renter]
IMHO, the notion that SD and LA pay are about equal would probably only apply to a few industries. Having grown up in LA, the biggest surprise when I moved to SD was the MUCH lower pay, and everyone else I know who made the same move (outside of tech) experienced the same shock when they moved down here. SD pay sucks for those outside of tech or biotech. LA has much better prospects for people in most other industries, IMHO.[/quote]
Data from salary.com, using 25th and 75th percentile:
Software Engineer V
SD – $109k-$132k
LA – $112k-$135k
Bay area – $121k-$147k
Certified Nurse Anesthetist:
SD – $157k-$180k
LA – $161k-$184k
Bay area – $175k-$200k
Attorney III:
SD – $137k-$182k
LA – $141k-$187k
Bay area – $153k-$203k
Surgeon – Neurology:
SD – $426k-$660k
LA – $436k-$675k
Bay area – $474k-$735k
School Principal:
SD – $90k-$114k
LA – $92k-$117k
Bay area – $100k-$127k
I think I cover a pretty good gamut of industries. As the numbers show, LA pay is 2-3% higher than SD and Bay area is 11-12% higher than SD.
So, as sdr asked earlier, when did you leave LA and what sources did you use to compare the pay between the cities? Now that we have the data for income, I’ve looked into this before but I’ll let you take a shot at looking it up for yourself, can you tell me how much an older home similar to Solana Beach with ~2500 sq-ft on 1/4 acre w/ a view in top school areas goes for in LA and Bay area?[/quote]
General and Occupational Managers:
LA: $61.85/hr.
SD: $60.27/hr.
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics:
LA: $18.78
SD: $20.76
Artists, Performers, and Athletes Agents/Managers (including this because it is a major industry in LA that pays very well, even for people without degrees…this industry employs almost half as many people as education — public, private, primary, secondary, and post-secondary — in LA):
Essentially, the wages do not appear to be that different, but they are definitely higher in LA, on average.
I bought a house down here in early 1998, and moved down permanently in mid-1999. Things certainly might have changed a bit since then, but I keep in touch with friends and family in LA and visit on a regular basis, and keep up with what’s going on up there. It still seems easier for people to get jobs in LA than in SD, and they do tend to pay better from what I’ve seen.
Also, I keep track of housing in certain parts of LA, and prices for comparable homes/neighborhoods are generally cheaper there than in SD.
