Software Engineer salary in Santa Cruz, CA
Based on 60 certified H-1B filings in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Watsonville, Scotts Valley, Capitola, Soquel, Felton.
Also listed as: Software Developer, Software Development Engineer, SDE
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $119,465 |
| 25th | $143,279 |
| 50th (median) | $154,453 |
| 75th | $184,850 |
| 90th | $210,700 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $129,200 | $105,750 | $153,770 | 46 |
| FY2021 | $127,446 | $105,164 | $160,350 | 40 |
| FY2022 | $148,947 | $115,000 | $160,000 | 33 |
| FY2023 | $141,378 | $135,000 | $183,450 | 29 |
| FY2024 | $155,000 | $114,504 | $181,050 | 27 |
| FY2025 | $151,208 | $118,663 | $180,487 | 24 |
| FY2026 | $160,334 | $148,100 | $196,250 | 36 |
Cost of living
Santa Cruz's median Software Engineer salary of $154,453 is worth about $140,500 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Santa Cruz = 109.9).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Developers in the Santa Cruz, CA area earned a median of $156,910 in May 2025 (540 employed). The H-1B median here is $154,453, 2% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $177,088 | 14 |
| Joby Aero | $186,050 | 14 |
| Driscoll's | too few | 7 |
| Randstad | too few | 3 |
| Jaaz | too few | 3 |
| Altimetrik | too few | 2 |
| Walmart | too few | 2 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $148,400 | 11 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $139,720 | 22 |
| Senior · Level III | $158,099 | 20 |
| Expert · Level IV | too few | 2 |
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 | $96,221 | $148,400 | 11 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $114,650 | $139,720 | 22 |
| Senior · Level III | $147,181 | $158,099 | 20 |
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.