Software Developers pay in California
$186,770avg. a year
$89.80 an hour · 284,390 employed
Software Developers in California earn an average of $186,770 a year. That is $38,670 (26%) more than the U.S. average of $148,100. The best-paying metro area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $221,710.
$174,410Median pay
$89.80Average hourly
+27%Avg. pay since 2021
#1Of 49 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for software developers by metro area. Swipe to see all 24.
187,350 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$221,710
$106.59 an hour
269,030 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$193,430
$93.00 an hour
32,170 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$174,020
$83.66 an hour
420,610 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$163,300
$78.51 an hour
555,540 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$161,900
$77.84 an hour
61,680 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$158,220
$76.07 an hour
7520 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$155,770
$74.89 an hour
8130 jobs
Napa, CA
$154,740
$74.40 an hour
9540 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$153,930
$74.01 an hour
10740 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$153,610
$73.85 an hour
117,460 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$152,930
$73.53 an hour
12560 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$152,280
$73.21 an hour
13570 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$147,640
$70.98 an hour
14330 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$142,170
$68.35 an hour
15290 jobs
Salinas, CA
$140,500
$67.55 an hour
164,150 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$139,570
$67.10 an hour
1780 jobs
Merced, CA
$137,840
$66.27 an hour
1880 jobs
Yuba City, CA
$136,090
$65.43 an hour
19150 jobs
Chico, CA
$135,490
$65.14 an hour
20740 jobs
Fresno, CA
$131,810
$63.37 an hour
21160 jobs
Redding, CA
$129,870
$62.44 an hour
2270 jobs
El Centro, CA
$128,310
$61.69 an hour
23230 jobs
Visalia, CA
$126,630
$60.88 an hour
24300 jobs
Modesto, CA
$122,860
$59.07 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.
Software Developers pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California software developers work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $121k$121k–$132k$132k–$138k$138k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $148,100 | $71.20 |
| California | $186,770 | $89.80 |
| Oregon | $149,060 | $71.66 |
| Nevada | $137,350 | $66.04 |
| Arizona | $132,530 | $63.72 |
Related jobs in California
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do software developers make in California?
The average is $186,770 a year, and the median is $174,410. That is $38,670 (26%) more than the U.S. average of $148,100.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$89.80 an hour on average; the median is $83.85.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($221,710), followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($193,430). The lowest average among 24 metro areas with data is Modesto, CA ($122,860).
How does California rank?
California ranks #1 of 50 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 2021–May 2025), occupation code 15-1252. 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 software developers 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.