Software Developer
Software Developer Salary in California
$47.4K - $58.2K
2% of jobs
$58.2K - $69.1K
5% of jobs
$69.1K - $79.9K
9% of jobs
$88.8K is the 25th percentile. Wages below this are outliers.
$79.9K - $90.8K
12% of jobs
$90.8K - $101.7K
15% of jobs
The median wage is $108K / yr.
$101.7K - $112.5K
14% of jobs
$112.5K - $123.4K
14% of jobs
$127.7K is the 75th percentile. Wages above this are outliers.
$123.4K - $134.2K
12% of jobs
$134.2K - $145.1K
9% of jobs
$145.1K - $155.9K
5% of jobs
$155.9K - $166.8K
4% of jobs
$47.4K
$108.6K
$164.3K
$110,380
/year
$53.07
/hour
Software Developer Salary Comparison by Location
Nationwide
United States
$111,845
California
California
$110,380
Do you get a good deal as a Software Developer?
Take The Breakroom Quiz to find out if your job offers fair pay and conditions. The 3-minute quiz lets you compare your pay, hours, benefits, and more.
Take The Breakroom Quiz
How much does a Software Developer make in California?
As of Aug 19, 2026, the average annual pay for a Software Developer in California is $110,380 a year.
Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $53.07 an hour. This is the equivalent of $2,122/week or $9,198/month.
While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $164,320 and as low as $47,371, the majority of Software Developer salaries currently range between $88,800 (25th percentile) to $128,300 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $149,516 annually in California. The average pay range for a Software Developer varies greatly (by as much as 39500), 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 Software Developer salaries.
To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Software Developer jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.
Find your next high paying job as a Software Developer on ZipRecruiter today.
What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Software Developer Jobs in California
We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Software Developer job is above the average in California in California. Topping the list is Soledad, , with Portola Valley, and Corte Madera, close behind in the second and third positions. Corte Madera, beats the average in California by $28,562 (25.9%), and Soledad, furthers that trend with another $56,930 (51.6%) above the $110,380 average.
With these 10 cities paying on average above the average for California, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Software Developer appears to be exceedingly fruitful.
However, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies modestly at 21% between Soledad, and Mill Valley, , 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 a Software Developer role.
City | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
Soledad | $167,310 | $80.44 |
Portola Valley | $155,890 | $74.95 |
Corte Madera | $138,942 | $66.80 |
Cupertino | $137,988 | $66.34 |
California City | $137,172 | $65.95 |
Berkeley | $136,948 | $65.84 |
Redwood City | $136,938 | $65.84 |
Saint Helena | $136,833 | $65.79 |
Belmont | $135,269 | $65.03 |
Mill Valley | $135,160 | $64.98 |
What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Software Developer Jobs in California
Analyzing similar jobs related to the Software Developer job category in California, we found 5 that were relevant. However, none pay more than the $110380 state average for Software Developer jobs.
Job Title | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
Lead Mechanical Design Engineer | $120,501 | $57.93 |
Cfd Analyst | $97,859 | $47.05 |
Associate Mechanical Engineer | $81,554 | $39.21 |
Mechanic Engineer | $78,767 | $37.87 |
Associate Data Engineer | $38,464 | $18.49 |
About Our Data
ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.
