Let’s talk wages in San Diego

The minimum wage in San Diego is currently $16.30 per hour, as of January 1, 2023. This is higher than the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, and it is also higher than the average minimum wage in California, which is $15 per hour.

The minimum wage in San Diego has been increasing steadily in recent years. In 2016, the minimum wage was $10.50 per hour. It increased to $11 per hour in 2017, $12 per hour in 2018, $13 per hour in 2019, and $15 per hour in 2022. The current minimum wage of $16.30 per hour is scheduled to increase to $16.50 per hour in 2024.

The minimum wage in San Diego is higher than the national average because the cost of living in San Diego is also higher than the national average. According to the MIT Living Wage Calculator, a single adult in San Diego needs to earn $22.61 per hour to live comfortably. This means that the current minimum wage in San Diego is not enough to support a single adult living on their own.

The minimum wage in San Diego is also higher than the average minimum wage in California because California has a more progressive approach to labor laws than the federal government. California has a state minimum wage, which is higher than the federal minimum wage, and it also allows cities and counties to set their own minimum wages.

The following table shows the average minimum wage in San Diego over the past 5 years:

Year Minimum Wage
2018 $11.00
2019 $12.00
2020 $13.00
2021 $15.00
2022 $16.30

As you can see, the minimum wage in San Diego has been increasing steadily in recent years. This is likely to continue as the cost of living in San Diego continues to rise.