Entry Level Programmer

Entry Level Programmer Salary in California

$29.6K

$161.9K

$54,866

/year

$26.38

/hour

Entry Level Programmer Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$55,594

California

California

$54,866

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    How much does an Entry Level Programmer make in California?

    As of Sep 7, 2026, the average annual pay for an Entry Level Programmer in California is $54,866 a year.

    Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $26.38 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,055/week or $4,572/month.

    While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $161,853 and as low as $29,607, the majority of Entry Level Programmer salaries currently range between $35,000 (25th percentile) to $47,400 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $107,572 annually in California. The average pay range for an Entry Level Programmer varies greatly (by as much as 12400), 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 Entry Level Programmer salaries.

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

    Find your next high paying job as an Entry Level Programmer on ZipRecruiter today.

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

    We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for an Entry Level Programmer job is above the average in California in California. Topping the list is Wasco, , with Berkeley, and San Carlos, close behind in the second and third positions. San Carlos, beats the average in California by $12,263 (22.4%), and Wasco, furthers that trend with another $16,501 (30.1%) above the $54,866 average.

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

    Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 8% between Wasco, and Palo Alto, , reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for an Entry Level Programmer role.

    City

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Wasco

    $71,367

    $34.31

    Berkeley

    $67,775

    $32.58

    San Carlos

    $67,129

    $32.27

    South San Francisco

    $66,808

    $32.12

    San Bruno

    $66,418

    $31.93

    Sunnyvale

    $66,141

    $31.80

    Cazadero

    $65,885

    $31.68

    Mountain View

    $65,584

    $31.53

    San Francisco

    $65,500

    $31.49

    Palo Alto

    $65,352

    $31.42

    What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Entry Level Programmer Jobs in California

    Analyzing similar jobs related to the Entry Level Programmer job category in California, we found 5 that were relevant. However, none pay more than the $54866 state average for Entry Level Programmer jobs.

    Job Title

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Entry Level Analog Design Engineer

    $183,800

    $88.37

    Research Engineer Entry Level

    $104,624

    $50.30

    Water Resource Control Engineer

    $92,664

    $44.55

    Junior System Engineer

    $84,291

    $40.52

    New Graduate Civil Engineer

    $70,425

    $33.86

    About Our Data

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

    Infographic detailing Entry Level Programmer salary in California as of August 2026. Shows a bar chart with salary percentiles ranging from $35,000 to $107,572 annually, with the California average at $54,866 per year or $26.38 per hour. Includes a list of the top 10 highest paying cities in California for Entry Level Programmer jobs, with Wasco leading at $71,367 annually.