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 628 software engineering jobs listed below pay well, with salaries between $129,831 and $203,149 per year. Software Engineer, Principal Software Engineer and Senior Software Engineer are among the most popular high-paying roles in San Diego, CA.

Job title

Updated Oct 22, 2026
Job title
San Diego, CA
California
Job openings (San Diego)

Staff Software Engineer

San Diego

$203,149 per year

California

$223,658 per year

Principal Software Engineer

San Diego

$186,872 per year

California

$219,188 per year

Forward Deployed Engineer

San Diego

$184,882 per year

California

$190,103 per year

Machine Learning Engineer

San Diego

$173,416 per year

California

$214,445 per year

Technical Program Manager

San Diego

$173,366 per year

California

$179,566 per year

Software Architect

San Diego

$162,786 per year

California

$172,261 per year

Senior Software Engineer

San Diego

$159,575 per year

California

$186,023 per year

Software Test Engineer

San Diego

$151,835 per year

California

$162,406 per year

AI Developer

San Diego

$141,232 per year

California

$178,947 per year

Software Engineer

San Diego

$129,831 per year

California

$163,237 per year

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