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Software engineer salary in California (Updated 2026)

How much does a Software Engineer make in California?

Average base salary

$160,795
19%
above national average
Average $160,795
Low $97,151
High $266,131

The average salary for a software engineer is $160,795 per year in California and $5,000 cash bonus per year.10.4k salaries taken from job postings on Indeed in the past 36 months (updated July 20, 2026).

Software Engineer job openings in California

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Software Engineer 1 - Android
Intuit4.1out of 5 stars.
Mountain View, CA
$55.50 - $75.00 an hour
9 hours 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
View company
MERCOR
 
$308,333per year
View company
Clipboard
 
$290,000per year
View company
micro1
 
$275,000per year
View company
Coupang
 
$255,000per year
View company

Highest paying cities for Software Engineers near California

  1. Camarillo, CA
    $314,068 per year
  2. Menlo Park, CA
    $187,571 per year
  3. San Francisco, CA
    $180,336 per year
  4. San Jose, CA
    $179,195 per year
  5. Mountain View, CA
    $171,109 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 $79,728 per year

Junior Software Engineer

Job openings
Average $89,530 per year

Principal Software Engineer

Job openings
Average $216,985 per year

Senior Software Engineer

Job openings
Average $185,701 per year

Software Engineer Intern

Job openings
Average $42.85 per hour

Staff Software Engineer

Job openings
Average $221,731 per year