Senior Software Engineer salary in Sacramento, CA
Based on 201 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III 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 | $146,245 |
| 25th | $149,115 |
| 50th (median) | $150,000 |
| 75th | $164,444 |
| 90th | $178,880 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $107,000 | $106,870 | $119,018 | 231 |
| FY2021 | $120,000 | $119,018 | $125,069 | 201 |
| FY2022 | $122,346 | $122,346 | $130,666 | 255 |
| FY2023 | $135,000 | $130,666 | $145,051 | 149 |
| FY2024 | $144,501 | $138,840 | $150,110 | 149 |
| FY2025 | $152,597 | $146,245 | $162,082 | 114 |
| FY2026 | $149,600 | $149,115 | $168,100 | 87 |
Cost of living
Sacramento's median senior Software Engineer salary of $150,000 is worth about $140,600 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 $150,000, 7% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Intel | $149,600 | 63 |
| Williams-Sonoma | too few | 7 |
| Shibram Banerjee | too few | 5 |
| First Technology Federal Credit Union | too few | 4 |
| Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company | too few | 4 |
| California Physicians' Service | too few | 3 |
| Cisco Systems | too few | 3 |
| ERP Analysts | too few | 3 |
| Silicon Motion | too few | 3 |
| SK Hynix NAND Product Solutions | 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.