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Software engineer salary in California (Updated 2026)

How much does a Software Engineer make in California?

Average base salary

$160,531
19%
above national average
Average $160,531
Low $97,080
High $265,454

The average salary for a software engineer is $160,531 per year in California and $5,000 cash bonus per year.10.3k salaries taken from job postings on Indeed in the past 36 months (updated July 13, 2026).

Software Engineer job openings in California

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Software Engineer, Backend (Ag...
San Francisco, CA
$200,000 - $250,000 a year
Full-time
1 day ago

Highest paying companies for Software Engineer in California

Average year pay is based on job postings on Indeed in the past 36 months.
CHAI
 
$381,250per year
View company
Superior Skilled Trades
 
$312,000per year
MERCOR
 
$305,357per year
micro1
 
$275,000per year
Clipboard
 
$262,857per year
Coupang
 
$255,000per year

Highest paying cities for Software Engineers near California

  1. Camarillo, CA
    $314,068 per year
  2. Menlo Park, CA
    $187,101 per year
  3. San Francisco, CA
    $179,948 per year
  4. San Jose, CA
    $179,400 per year
  5. Mountain View, CA
    $171,414 per year

Where can a Software Engineer earn more?

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

Entry Level Software Engineer

Job openings
Average $79,354 per year

Junior Software Engineer

Job openings
Average $89,530 per year

Principal Software Engineer

Job openings
Average $216,835 per year

Software Engineer Intern

Job openings
Average $42.91 per hour