Expert Software Engineer salary in Riverside, CA
Based on 71 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Redlands, Ontario, Corona, Rancho Cucamonga, Chino.
Also listed as: Software Developer, Software Development Engineer, SDE
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $156,811 |
| 25th | $165,214 |
| 50th (median) | $170,000 |
| 75th | $198,000 |
| 90th | $223,700 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $124,800 | $122,699 | $133,960 | 18 |
| FY2021 | $131,955 | $123,198 | $147,207 | 30 |
| FY2022 | $144,942 | $135,000 | $180,000 | 49 |
| FY2023 | $147,800 | $141,176 | $157,150 | 39 |
| FY2024 | $150,712 | $147,784 | $163,500 | 32 |
| FY2025 | $165,300 | $157,000 | $201,000 | 37 |
| FY2026 | $170,280 | $165,214 | $188,750 | 34 |
Cost of living
Riverside's median expert Software Engineer salary of $170,000 is worth about $159,700 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Riverside = 106.4).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Developers in the Riverside, CA area earned a median of $133,270 in May 2025 (4,150 employed). The H-1B median here is $170,000, 28% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Environmental Systems Research Institute | too few | 8 |
| Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (Esri) | too few | 6 |
| Monster Energy | too few | 4 |
| Accenture | too few | 2 |
| Deloitte | too few | 2 |
| Afero | too few | 2 |
| QTC Management | too few | 2 |
| Sparient | too few | 2 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $100,000 | 81 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $120,000 | 186 |
| Senior · Level III | $141,440 | 57 |
| Expert · Level IV | $170,000 | 71 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $88,899 | $100,000 | 81 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $115,981 | $120,000 | 186 |
| Senior · Level III | $134,181 | $141,440 | 57 |
| Expert · Level IV | $165,214 | $170,000 | 71 |
The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.