Entry Level Software Engineer

Entry Level Software Engineer Salary in California

$23.7K

$91.8K

$186.5K

$103,490

/year

$49.75

/hour

Entry Level Software Engineer Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$104,863

California

California

$103,490

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    How much does an Entry Level Software Engineer make in California?

    As of Aug 29, 2026, the average annual pay for an Entry Level Software Engineer in California is $103,490 a year.

    Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $49.75 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,990/week or $8,624/month.

    While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $186,524 and as low as $23,686, the majority of Entry Level Software Engineer salaries currently range between $64,100 (25th percentile) to $118,400 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $158,891 annually in California. The average pay range for an Entry Level Software Engineer varies greatly (by as much as 54300), 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 Software Engineer salaries.

    To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Entry Level Software Engineer 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 Software Engineer on ZipRecruiter today.

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

    We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for an Entry Level Software Engineer job is above the average in California in California. Topping the list is Soledad, , with Mill Valley, and Marina del Rey, close behind in the second and third positions. Marina del Rey, beats the average in California by $35,107 (33.9%), and Soledad, furthers that trend with another $53,375 (51.6%) above the $103,490 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 Software Engineer appears to be exceedingly fruitful.

    However, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies modestly at 19% between Soledad, and Berkeley, , suggesting it may be difficult to see much positive wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may help determine the balance between location and salary for an Entry Level Software Engineer role.

    City

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Soledad

    $156,865

    $75.42

    Mill Valley

    $146,963

    $70.66

    Marina del Rey

    $138,597

    $66.63

    Scotts Valley

    $135,702

    $65.24

    Felton

    $133,310

    $64.09

    Carmel Valley

    $132,139

    $63.53

    Cupertino

    $129,374

    $62.20

    Larkspur

    $128,665

    $61.86

    California City

    $128,609

    $61.83

    Berkeley

    $128,398

    $61.73

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

    Analyzing similar jobs related to the Entry Level Software Engineer job category in California, we found 5 that were relevant. However, none pay more than the $103490 state average for Entry Level Software Engineer jobs.

    Nevertheless Entry Level Electronics Engineer, Financial Research Analyst, or Real Estate Financial Analyst may still be interesting positions to explore.

    Job Title

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Entry Level Electronics Engineer

    $87,732

    $42.18

    Financial Research Analyst

    $86,957

    $41.81

    Real Estate Financial Analyst

    $80,687

    $38.79

    Part Time Market Research Analyst

    $77,784

    $37.40

    Economic Analyst

    $72,302

    $34.76

    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 Software Engineer salary in California as of August 2026. Shows a bar chart with salary percentiles ranging from $64,100 to $158,891 annually, with the California average at $103,490 per year or $49.75 per hour. Includes a list of the top 10 highest paying cities in California for Entry Level Software Engineer jobs, with Soledad leading at $156,865 annually.