Senior Computer Programmer Salary in California
$27.6K - $38.5K
1% of jobs
$38.5K - $49.3K
2% of jobs
$49.3K - $60.2K
4% of jobs
$60.2K - $71.1K
8% of jobs
$71.1K - $81.9K
6% of jobs
$87.7K is the 25th percentile. Wages below this are outliers.
$81.9K - $92.8K
6% of jobs
$92.8K - $103.6K
14% of jobs
The median wage is $109.3K / yr.
$103.6K - $114.5K
16% of jobs
$124.7K is the 75th percentile. Wages above this are outliers.
$114.5K - $125.3K
18% of jobs
$125.3K - $136.2K
12% of jobs
$136.2K - $147K
12% of jobs
$27.6K
$112K
$147.5K
$107,312
/year
$51.59
/hour
Senior Computer Programmer Salary Comparison by Location
Nationwide
United States
$108,736
California
California
$107,312
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How much does a Senior Computer Programmer make in California?
As of Aug 16, 2026, the average annual pay for a Senior Computer Programmer in California is $107,312 a year.
Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $51.59 an hour. This is the equivalent of $2,063/week or $8,942/month.
While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $147,542 and as low as $27,633, the majority of Senior Computer Programmer salaries currently range between $90,300 (25th percentile) to $128,300 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $141,127 annually in California. The average pay range for a Senior Computer Programmer varies greatly (by as much as 38000), 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 Senior Computer Programmer salaries.
To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Senior 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 Senior Computer Programmer on ZipRecruiter today.
What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Senior Computer Programmer Jobs in California
We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Senior Computer Programmer job is above the average in California in California. Topping the list is Berkeley, , with San Francisco, and Santa Clara, close behind in the second and third positions. Santa Clara, beats the average in California by $20,391 (19.0%), and Berkeley, furthers that trend with another $25,828 (24.1%) above the $107,312 average.
With these 10 cities paying on average above the average for California, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Senior Computer Programmer appears to be exceedingly fruitful.
Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 6% between Berkeley, and Oakland, , 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 a Senior Computer Programmer role.
City | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
Berkeley | $133,140 | $64.01 |
San Francisco | $128,109 | $61.59 |
Santa Clara | $127,703 | $61.40 |
Novato | $127,663 | $61.38 |
Sunnyvale | $127,618 | $61.35 |
Livermore | $127,545 | $61.32 |
San Jose | $127,437 | $61.27 |
Daly City | $125,991 | $60.57 |
Santa Cruz | $125,553 | $60.36 |
Oakland | $124,880 | $60.04 |
What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Senior Computer Programmer Jobs in California
Analyzing similar jobs related to the Senior Computer Programmer job category in California, we found 5 that were relevant. However, none pay more than the $107312 state average for Senior Computer Programmer jobs.
Job Title | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
Staff Design Engineer | $148,647 | $71.46 |
Product Design Engineer Apple | $129,851 | $62.43 |
Autodesk Inventor | $73,505 | $35.34 |
Entry Level Technical Sales | $71,525 | $34.39 |
Entry Level Solidworks Designer | $61,506 | $29.57 |
About Our Data
ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.
