Software Developer salary in California
The median annual wage for software developers in California is $174,410, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025 estimates — above the national median of $135,980. California ranks 1 of 49 states and DC with published data for this occupation.
Median
$174,410
25th percentile
$136,990
75th percentile
$216,670
90th percentile
$272,670
Employment and national comparison
| Employment in California | 284,390 |
|---|---|
| Mean annual wage in California | $186,770 |
| National median | $135,980 |
| National employment | 1,687,890 |
Metro areas in California
- San Francisco, CA: median $186,640
- Los Angeles, CA: median $160,920
- San Diego, CA: median $163,270
States with similar pay for software developers
- Washington: median $166,540
- New York: median $166,180
- Massachusetts: median $165,210
- Oregon: median $142,720
- New Hampshire: median $139,720
- Maryland: median $138,680
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates; state, metropolitan area and national files from https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm. State estimates are for BLS occupation "Software Developers" (15-1252), cross-industry, all ownerships. Retrieved 2026-10-02. Where BLS does not publish a numeric estimate (suppressed, or reported only as at or above $239,200) the value is shown as —.