Computer Programmer

Computer Programmer Salary in California

$32.6K

$63.2K

$93.8K

$64,123

/year

$30.83

/hour

Computer Programmer Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$64,974

California

California

$64,123

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    How much does a Computer Programmer make in California?

    As of Jul 16, 2026, the average annual pay for a Computer Programmer in California is $64,123 a year.

    Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $30.83 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,233/week or $5,343/month.

    While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $93,756 and as low as $32,568, the majority of Computer Programmer salaries currently range between $49,800 (25th percentile) to $79,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $85,860 annually in California. The average pay range for a Computer Programmer varies greatly (by as much as 29200), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.

    California ranks number 50 out of 50 states nationwide for Computer Programmer salaries.

    To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Computer Programmer jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.

    Find your next high paying job as a Computer Programmer on ZipRecruiter today.

    What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Computer Programmer Jobs in California

    We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Computer Programmer job is above the average in California in California. Topping the list is El Segundo, , with Ridgecrest, and Silicon Valley, close behind in the second and third positions. Silicon Valley, beats the average in California by $25,127 (39.2%), and El Segundo, furthers that trend with another $43,370 (67.6%) above the $64,123 average.

    With these 10 cities paying on average above the average for California, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Computer Programmer appears to be exceedingly fruitful.

    Additionally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies as much as 33% between El Segundo, and Santa Clara, , suggesting a strong potential for positive wage variance in a Computer Programmer role. Cost of living should also be factored in when balancing location and salary.

    City

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    El Segundo

    $107,493

    $51.68

    Ridgecrest

    $101,934

    $49.01

    Silicon Valley

    $89,250

    $42.91

    Berkeley

    $79,557

    $38.25

    Los Altos

    $76,949

    $36.99

    Menlo Park

    $76,569

    $36.81

    San Francisco Bay Area

    $76,551

    $36.80

    San Francisco

    $76,457

    $36.76

    Stanford

    $76,341

    $36.70

    Santa Clara

    $76,308

    $36.69

    What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Computer Programmer Jobs in California

    Analyzing similar jobs related to the Computer Programmer job category in California, we found 5 that were relevant. However, none pay more than the $64123 state average for Computer Programmer jobs.

    Job Title

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Cnc Engineer

    $80,953

    $38.92

    Precision Machinist

    $64,334

    $30.93

    Cnc Lathe Programmer

    $60,780

    $29.22

    Cnc Milling Machinist

    $51,203

    $24.62

    Cnc Machinist Level 3

    $48,538

    $23.34

    About Our Data

    ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.

    Infographic detailing Computer Programmer salary in California as of July 2026. Shows a bar chart with salary percentiles ranging from $49,800 to $85,860 annually, with the California average at $64,123 per year or $30.83 per hour. Includes a list of the top 10 highest paying cities in California for Computer Programmer jobs, with El Segundo leading at $107,493 annually.