Mid-level Software Engineer salary in San Diego, CA
Based on 965 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level II 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 | $126,880 |
| 25th | $126,880 |
| 50th (median) | $130,187 |
| 75th | $140,000 |
| 90th | $159,100 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $97,700 | $94,765 | $104,999 | 763 |
| FY2021 | $100,000 | $98,592 | $108,055 | 841 |
| FY2022 | $101,109 | $101,109 | $112,500 | 1,093 |
| FY2023 | $111,322 | $111,322 | $121,597 | 1,130 |
| FY2024 | $121,597 | $121,597 | $132,770 | 666 |
| FY2025 | $126,880 | $126,880 | $138,585 | 633 |
| FY2026 | $130,200 | $130,187 | $141,505 | 332 |
Cost of living
San Diego's median mid-level Software Engineer salary of $130,187 is worth about $116,400 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 $130,187, 20% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Qualcomm | $126,880 | 377 |
| Amazon | $158,950 | 88 |
| Apple | $139,500 | 57 |
| ServiceNow | $126,880 | 31 |
| Samsung Semiconductor | $126,880 | 15 |
| Sony Interactive Entertainment | $145,700 | 15 |
| Asml | $130,187 | 13 |
| Intuit | too few | 9 |
| Microsoft | too few | 9 |
| Deloitte | too few | 8 |
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.