Entry-level Software Engineer salary in San Diego, CA
Based on 197 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I 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 | $101,754 |
| 25th | $102,794 |
| 50th (median) | $115,000 |
| 75th | $129,000 |
| 90th | $133,945 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $80,184 | $78,187 | $90,646 | 123 |
| FY2021 | $86,484 | $80,200 | $113,100 | 105 |
| FY2022 | $89,294 | $81,973 | $100,639 | 121 |
| FY2023 | $105,000 | $89,449 | $129,000 | 144 |
| FY2024 | $101,754 | $96,845 | $115,791 | 146 |
| FY2025 | $110,000 | $101,754 | $124,350 | 103 |
| FY2026 | $120,000 | $102,800 | $130,000 | 94 |
Cost of living
San Diego's median entry-level Software Engineer salary of $115,000 is worth about $102,800 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 $115,000, 30% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $129,000 | 37 |
| Apple | $139,500 | 12 |
| Sysintelli | too few | 9 |
| Brain | too few | 6 |
| Sony Interactive Entertainment | too few | 4 |
| Activision Publishing | too few | 3 |
| AvidXchange | too few | 3 |
| Kneron | too few | 3 |
| Mitchell International | too few | 3 |
| Smallboard.com | 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 | $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.