Software Engineer salary in San Diego, CA
Based on 2,868 certified H-1B filings in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Carlsbad, Poway, San Marcos, La Jolla, Vista.
Also listed as: Software Developer, Software Development Engineer, SDE
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $115,326 |
| 25th | $126,880 |
| 50th (median) | $152,027 |
| 75th | $177,154 |
| 90th | $184,974 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $111,342 | $96,616 | $127,920 | 1,680 |
| FY2021 | $117,021 | $98,592 | $135,429 | 2,162 |
| FY2022 | $120,224 | $101,109 | $140,000 | 2,500 |
| FY2023 | $129,000 | $111,322 | $146,328 | 2,311 |
| FY2024 | $133,000 | $121,597 | $160,000 | 1,748 |
| FY2025 | $152,027 | $126,880 | $173,828 | 1,844 |
| FY2026 | $157,581 | $130,187 | $184,625 | 1,024 |
Cost of living
San Diego's median Software Engineer salary of $152,027 is worth about $135,900 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Diego = 111.9).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Developers in the San Diego, CA area earned a median of $163,270 in May 2025 (20,610 employed). The H-1B median here is $152,027, 7% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Qualcomm | $130,187 | 940 |
| Apple | $157,581 | 438 |
| Amazon | $155,400 | 168 |
| ServiceNow | $140,821 | 91 |
| Intuit | $168,540 | 57 |
| Asml | $152,027 | 43 |
| Sony Interactive Entertainment | $160,641 | 42 |
| Illumina | $155,702 | 28 |
| Microsoft | $185,500 | 23 |
| NVIDIA | $184,974 | 22 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $115,000 | 197 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $130,187 | 965 |
| Senior · Level III | $157,581 | 665 |
| Expert · Level IV | $184,974 | 586 |
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 | $101,754 | $115,000 | 197 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $126,880 | $130,187 | 965 |
| Senior · Level III | $152,027 | $157,581 | 665 |
| Expert · Level IV | $177,154 | $184,974 | 586 |
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.