High-paying software engineering jobs in San Diego

Software Engineering develops and maintains software applications. Engineers write code, design solutions, and ensure quality. Programming skills and problem-solving abilities are essential.


The 682 software engineering jobs listed below pay well, with salaries between $133,800 and $203,130 per year. Software Engineer, Senior Software Engineer and Principal Software Engineer are among the most popular high-paying roles in San Diego, CA.

Job title

Updated Sep 05, 2026
Job title
San Diego, CA
California
Job openings (San Diego)

Staff Software Engineer

San Diego

$203,130 per year

California

$222,715 per year

Principal Software Engineer

San Diego

$183,795 per year

California

$219,543 per year

Machine Learning Engineer

San Diego

$175,300 per year

California

$215,499 per year

Forward Deployed Engineer

San Diego

$172,024 per year

California

$188,864 per year

Firmware Engineer

San Diego

$165,971 per year

California

$176,192 per year

Software Test Engineer

San Diego

$162,891 per year

California

$164,607 per year

Senior Software Engineer

San Diego

$161,877 per year

California

$186,551 per year

AI Developer

San Diego

$141,721 per year

California

$177,954 per year

Data Engineer

San Diego

$134,526 per year

California

$155,861 per year

Software Engineer

San Diego

$133,800 per year

California

$162,545 per year

Job descriptions below are for educational purposes. Please refer to the employer's job description for complete details.