Software Performance Engineer

Software Performance Engineer Salary in California

$107.6K

$139.2K

$137,702

/year

$66.20

/hour

Software Performance Engineer Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$139,529

California

California

$137,702

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    How much does a Software Performance Engineer make in California?

    As of Aug 16, 2026, the average annual pay for a Software Performance Engineer in California is $137,702 a year.

    Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $66.20 an hour. This is the equivalent of $2,648/week or $11,475/month.

    While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $139,153 and as low as $107,573, the majority of Software Performance Engineer salaries currently range between $138,200 (25th percentile) to $138,200 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $138,166 annually in California. The average pay range for a Software Performance Engineer varies little (about 0), which suggests that regardless of location, there are not many opportunities for increased pay or advancement, even with several years of experience.

    California ranks number 50 out of 50 states nationwide for Software Performance Engineer salaries.

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

    Find your next high paying job as a Software Performance Engineer on ZipRecruiter today.

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

    We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Software Performance Engineer job is above the average in California in California. Topping the list is Fremont, , with Cupertino, and Berkeley, close behind in the second and third positions. Berkeley, beats the average in California by $33,143 (24.1%), and Fremont, furthers that trend with another $41,163 (29.9%) above the $137,702 average.

    With these 10 cities paying on average above the average for California, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Software Performance Engineer 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 Fremont, and San Jose, , 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 Software Performance Engineer role.

    City

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Fremont

    $178,865

    $85.99

    Cupertino

    $172,143

    $82.76

    Berkeley

    $170,845

    $82.14

    Mountain View

    $164,599

    $79.13

    Menlo Park

    $164,429

    $79.05

    San Francisco

    $164,389

    $79.03

    Palo Alto

    $164,019

    $78.86

    Sunnyvale

    $163,758

    $78.73

    Livermore

    $163,666

    $78.69

    San Jose

    $163,527

    $78.62

    What are Top 0 Best Paying Related Software Performance Engineer Jobs in California

    Analyzing similar jobs related to the Software Performance Engineer job category in California, we found 0 that were relevant. However, none pay more than the $137702 state average for Software Performance Engineer jobs.

    Job Title

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    About Our Data

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

    Infographic detailing Software Performance Engineer salary in California as of August 2026. Shows a bar chart with salary percentiles ranging from $138,200 to $138,166 annually, with the California average at $137,702 per year or $66.20 per hour. Includes a list of the top 10 highest paying cities in California for Software Performance Engineer jobs, with Fremont leading at $178,865 annually.