Expert Software Engineer salary in Sacramento, CA
Based on 142 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV 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 | $171,018 |
| 25th | $171,668 |
| 50th (median) | $173,618 |
| 75th | $190,233 |
| 90th | $215,900 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $124,800 | $123,926 | $140,379 | 99 |
| FY2021 | $147,139 | $140,379 | $162,100 | 58 |
| FY2022 | $152,818 | $144,352 | $166,518 | 78 |
| FY2023 | $169,844 | $152,955 | $191,335 | 80 |
| FY2024 | $170,000 | $163,342 | $190,261 | 65 |
| FY2025 | $173,618 | $171,018 | $190,347 | 79 |
| FY2026 | $173,678 | $173,618 | $188,249 | 63 |
Cost of living
Sacramento's median expert Software Engineer salary of $173,618 is worth about $162,800 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 $173,618, 24% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Apple | $173,618 | 18 |
| SK Hynix NAND Product Solutions | too few | 9 |
| Intel | too few | 8 |
| NVIDIA | too few | 8 |
| Deloitte | too few | 6 |
| Oracle | too few | 6 |
| Centene Management Company | too few | 4 |
| Sutter Health | too few | 4 |
| Zscaler | too few | 4 |
| Meta | too few | 3 |
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.