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Senior software engineer salary in California (Updated 2026)

How much does a Senior Software Engineer make in California?

Average base salary

$185,766
17%
above national average
Average $185,766
Low $128,042
High $269,514

The average salary for a senior software engineer is $185,766 per year in California and $12,250 cash bonus per year.7.8k salaries taken from job postings on Indeed in the past 36 months (updated July 19, 2026).

Senior Software Engineer job openings in California

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Senior Software Developer
True Religion Brand Jeans3.7out of 5 stars.
El Segundo, CA
$120,000 - $140,000 a year
Full-time
3 hours ago

Highest paying companies for Senior Software Engineer in California

Average year pay is based on job postings on Indeed in the past 36 months.
CHAI
 
$400,000per year
View company
Netflix
 
$370,309per year
View company
Amazon Stores
 
$325,000per year
View company
Arrow Workforce Solutions
 
$312,000per year
View company
Nectar
 
$300,000per year
View company
Roku
 
$298,928per year
View company

Highest paying cities for Senior Software Engineers near California

  1. San Mateo, CA
    $217,943 per year
  2. San Jose, CA
    $207,324 per year
  3. San Francisco, CA
    $199,138 per year
  4. Mountain View, CA
    $194,900 per year
  5. Sunnyvale, CA
    $184,697 per year

Where can a Senior Software Engineer earn more?

Compare salaries for Senior Software Engineers in different locations
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How much do similar professions as Senior Software Engineer get paid in California?

Entry Level Software Engineer

Job openings
Average $80,527 per year

Junior Software Engineer

Job openings
Average $89,530 per year

Principal Software Engineer

Job openings
Average $216,990 per year

Senior Software Engineer

Job openings
Average $185,766 per year

Software Engineer

Job openings
Average $160,754 per year

Software Engineer Intern

Job openings
Average $42.84 per hour