Software Engineer San Diego, CA
Software Engineer salary in San Diego, CA
Typical pay
$161,300a year
Most Software Engineers earn $138k to $200k a year
From 134 current job postings, updated Nov 1, 2026 Pay that employers list in their job postings
The median Software Engineer salary in San Diego, CA is $161,300 a year. Most job postings pay $137,500 to $199,700. From 134 current job postings, updated Nov 1, 2026.
301 open jobs. See them
Typical pay by city in California
Back to the whole USCalifornia
$190k typical, most $155k to $220k
| San Francisco, CA | $200k | $170k to $230k | 1,186 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $200k | $171k to $230k | 1,032 |
| Oxnard, CA | $181k | $129k to $212k | 17 |
| Sacramento, CA | $165k | $134k to $207k | 25 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $165k | $138k to $194k | 528 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $165k | $130k to $176k | 15 |
| San Diego, CA | $161k | $138k to $200k | 134 |
| Riverside, CA | $134k | $101k to $162k | 15 |
| Bakersfield, CA | – | – | 2 |
| El Centro, CA | – | – | 4 |
| Fresno, CA | – | – | 2 |
| Modesto, CA | – | – | 0 |
| Napa, CA | – | – | 1 |
| Redding, CA | – | – | 0 |
| Salinas, CA | – | – | 1 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | – | – | 2 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | – | – | 1 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | – | – | 1 |
| Stockton, CA | – | – | 1 |
| Vallejo, CA | – | – | 15 |
| Visalia, CA | – | – | 0 |
| Yuba City, CA | – | – | 1 |
Pay advertised in current postings, per year. Postings are those that list pay.
Pay by experience level
What most job postings pay at each stage. The dot is typical pay.
- Starting out 1 job postings
Not enough postings yet (we show pay once 10 postings list it)
- Experienced 43 job postings$120k $165k
Typical: $138k
- Senior 67 job postings$157k $213k
Typical: $184k
- Lead or manager 2 job postings
Not enough postings yet (we show pay once 10 postings list it)
Where would you land?
Pick your level to see what most Software Engineer job postings in San Diego, CA pay at it.
Senior: most postings pay $157k to $213k a year, typically $184k.
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Pay by employer and level
Typical yearly pay at the employers with the most postings that list pay. A dash means fewer than 10 of their postings at that level list pay.
| Employer | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viasat Inc | $181k | – | – | – | – |
How much does a Software Engineer make in San Diego, CA?
Employers hiring now typically offer $161,300 a year for Software Engineer roles in San Diego, CA. These numbers come from the pay employers list in their job postings, so they show what is on offer today rather than what people earned last year. We only show a number when at least 10 postings list pay.
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