Entry-level Software Engineer salary in Sacramento, CA
Based on 139 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Folsom, Rancho Cordova, Rocklin, West Sacramento, Roseville.
Also listed as: Software Developer, Software Development Engineer, SDE
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $96,678 |
| 25th | $96,678 |
| 50th (median) | $100,090 |
| 75th | $103,000 |
| 90th | $117,336 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $78,906 | $72,758 | $85,000 | 54 |
| FY2021 | $83,200 | $76,315 | $97,000 | 101 |
| FY2022 | $80,000 | $79,000 | $95,000 | 77 |
| FY2023 | $87,360 | $86,362 | $100,000 | 92 |
| FY2024 | $93,600 | $89,856 | $100,000 | 93 |
| FY2025 | $97,000 | $96,678 | $101,000 | 98 |
| FY2026 | $100,100 | $100,090 | $105,000 | 41 |
Cost of living
Sacramento's median entry-level Software Engineer salary of $100,090 is worth about $93,800 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Sacramento = 106.7).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Developers in the Sacramento, CA area earned a median of $139,640 in May 2025 (7,460 employed). The H-1B median here is $100,090, 28% lower.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Astute Solutions | $96,678 | 14 |
| Nisum Technologies | too few | 7 |
| R Systems | too few | 6 |
| Deloitte | too few | 3 |
| Key Business Solutions | too few | 3 |
| Softworld Technologies | too few | 3 |
| Tech-Net | too few | 3 |
| Unique Key Resources | too few | 3 |
| Siemens | too few | 2 |
| Agile Global Solutions | 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 | $100,090 | 139 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $124,592 | 545 |
| Senior · Level III | $150,000 | 201 |
| Expert · Level IV | $173,618 | 142 |
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 | $96,678 | $100,090 | 139 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $124,592 | $124,592 | 545 |
| Senior · Level III | $149,115 | $150,000 | 201 |
| Expert · Level IV | $173,618 | $173,618 | 142 |
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.