Software Engineer Salary in California
Based on 85K+ workers in California
Data year: 2024 · Last updated: May 2026
Median Annual Salary (CA)
$128,750
$61.899/hr
vs National Average
$101,746
+26.5% vs national median
Salary Range (10th–90th)
$56K – $213K
85K employed in California
Salary Distribution — Software Engineer in California
| Percentile | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $55,640 |
| 25th percentile | $80,830 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $128,750 |
| 75th percentile | $169,140 |
| 90th percentile | $213,440 |
Historical Salary Trend — Software Engineer in California vs National
| Year | Median Salary (United States) |
|---|---|
| 2022 | $111,500 |
| 2023 | $123,570 |
| 2024 | $128,750 |
| Year | California Median | National Median |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $111,500 | $89,712 |
| 2023 | $123,570 | $97,924 |
| 2024 | $128,750 | $101,746 |