Computer Programmers pay in California
$119,900avg. a year
$57.64 an hour · 11,340 employed
Computer Programmers in California earn an average of $119,900 a year. That is $14,730 (14%) more than the U.S. average of $105,170. The best-paying metro area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $150,780.
$116,760Median pay
$57.64Average hourly
+12%Avg. pay since 2020
#5Of 46 states
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for computer programmers by metro area. Swipe to see all 16.
1980 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$150,780
$72.49 an hour
21,600 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$129,530
$62.28 an hour
390 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$128,360
$61.71 an hour
42,440 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$127,030
$61.07 an hour
590 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$113,250
$54.45 an hour
6580 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$112,710
$54.19 an hour
780 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$112,410
$54.04 an hour
8140 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$108,440
$52.14 an hour
93,400 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$108,020
$51.93 an hour
1040 jobs
Visalia, CA
$105,690
$50.81 an hour
1130 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$105,130
$50.55 an hour
12390 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$104,620
$50.30 an hour
1330 jobs
Merced, CA
$102,030
$49.06 an hour
14110 jobs
Fresno, CA
$98,190
$47.21 an hour
1550 jobs
Modesto, CA
$97,650
$46.95 an hour
16120 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$96,290
$46.29 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Computer Programmers pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California computer programmers work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $91k$91k–$101k$101k–$112k$112k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $105,170 | $50.56 |
| California | $119,900 | $57.64 |
| Oregon | $110,390 | $53.07 |
| Arizona | $102,710 | $49.38 |
| Nevada | $102,130 | $49.10 |
Related jobs in California
- Software Developers$186,770
- Computer User Support Specialists$85,030
- Computer Systems Analysts$130,480
- Computer Occupations, All Other$146,770
- Network and Computer Systems Administrators$115,210
- Information Security Analysts$149,090
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do computer programmers make in California?
The average is $119,900 a year, and the median is $116,760. That is $14,730 (14%) more than the U.S. average of $105,170.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$57.64 an hour on average; the median is $56.13.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($150,780), followed by San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA ($129,530). The lowest average among 16 metro areas with data is Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($96,290).
How does California rank?
California ranks #5 of 46 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 15-1251. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national computer programmers page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.