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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

$184,848
17%
above national average
Average $184,848
Low $127,715
High $267,539

The average salary for a senior software engineer is $184,848 per year in California and $12,250 cash bonus per year.7.6k salaries taken from job postings on Indeed in the past 36 months (updated June 15, 2026).

Senior Software Engineer job openings in California

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Senior Embedded Software Engin...
Los Angeles, CA
$160,000 - $220,000 a year
Full-time
21 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
 
$373,451per year
Amazon Stores
 
$325,000per year
Arrow Workforce Solutions
 
$312,000per year
Horizontal
 
$301,600per year
Nectar
 
$300,000per year

Highest paying cities for Senior Software Engineers near California

  1. San Mateo, CA
    $216,338 per year
  2. San Jose, CA
    $201,791 per year
  3. San Francisco, CA
    $197,640 per year
  4. Mountain View, CA
    $195,512 per year
  5. Sunnyvale, CA
    $181,983 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 $75,774 per year

Junior Software Engineer

Job openings
Average $90,235 per year

Principal Software Engineer

Job openings
Average $215,262 per year

Software Engineer Intern

Job openings
Average $42.92 per hour