SOC 15-1252 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Software Developers — California
California · 10 metro areas compared
At $174,410 a year, the median wage for Software Developers in California sits 28.3% above the national figure of $135,980.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
At $174,410 a year, the median wage for Software Developers in California sits 28.3% above the national figure of $135,980. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $136,990 and $216,670. The lowest tenth earn under $105,060, while the highest tenth earn more than $272,670.
The area has 284,390 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 1.44 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. California ranks number 1st out of 50 states by median pay for this occupation. Within the state, San Jose records the highest median at $213,110. Of the 793 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 30th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $105,060 | −22.7% |
| 25th | $136,990 | +0.7% |
| Median (50th) | $174,410 | +28.3% |
| 75th | $216,670 | +59.3% |
| 90th | $272,670 | +100.5% |
| Mean | $186,770 | +37.4% |
Highest-paying metro areas in California
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose | $213,110 | 87,350 | |
| 2 | San Francisco | $186,640 | 69,030 | |
| 3 | San Diego | $163,270 | 20,610 | |
| 4 | Los Angeles | $160,920 | 55,540 | |
| 5 | Oxnard | $159,430 | 2,170 | |
| 6 | Santa Maria | $158,290 | 1,680 | |
| 7 | Santa Cruz | $156,910 | 540 | |
| 8 | Napa | $153,130 | 130 | |
| 9 | Santa Rosa | $148,630 | 560 | |
| 10 | Sacramento | $139,640 | 7,460 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in California run 10.7% above the national average, so the median of $174,410 buys what $157,552 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 15.9% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$174,410as reported by BLSLocal price level
110.7US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$157,552US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $174,410 a year, 28.3% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $105,060 to $272,670 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 284,390 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 1st of 50 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is San Jose, at $213,110.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Software Developers in California?
The median annual wage is $174,410, or $83.85 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $135,980, so pay in California is 28.3% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in California earns more than $272,670 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $105,060 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in San Jose, at $213,110 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 284,390 jobs in this occupation in California. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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