Expert Software Engineer salary in Stockton, CA
Based on 235 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the Stockton-Lodi, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Tracy, Mountain House, Lathrop, Manteca, Ripon.
Also listed as: Software Developer, Software Development Engineer, SDE
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $156,000 |
| 25th | $163,898 |
| 50th (median) | $185,587 |
| 75th | $215,488 |
| 90th | $238,888 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $127,816 | $124,738 | $141,865 | 18 |
| FY2021 | $172,687 | $146,206 | $200,000 | 30 |
| FY2022 | $155,000 | $139,485 | $176,050 | 71 |
| FY2023 | $157,663 | $145,500 | $187,345 | 82 |
| FY2024 | $179,367 | $156,499 | $207,794 | 104 |
| FY2025 | $184,827 | $160,049 | $212,825 | 130 |
| FY2026 | $185,587 | $165,655 | $219,536 | 105 |
Cost of living
Stockton's median expert Software Engineer salary of $185,587 is worth about $176,600 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Stockton = 105.1).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Developers in the Stockton, CA area earned a median of $138,550 in May 2025 (570 employed). The H-1B median here is $185,587, 34% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Walmart | $185,587 | 11 |
| Oracle | $156,125 | 10 |
| Meta | too few | 6 |
| American Eagle Outfitters | too few | 6 |
| NVIDIA | too few | 6 |
| The Wine Group | too few | 6 |
| Deloitte | too few | 5 |
| CVS Health | too few | 4 |
| Twilio | too few | 4 |
| Yahoo Holdings | too few | 4 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $90,438 | 63 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $112,500 | 256 |
| Senior · Level III | $153,301 | 270 |
| Expert · Level IV | $185,587 | 235 |
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 | $90,438 | $90,438 | 63 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $112,216 | $112,500 | 256 |
| Senior · Level III | $133,973 | $153,301 | 270 |
| Expert · Level IV | $155,750 | $185,587 | 235 |
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.