Software developer pay in San Diego, CA
Software developers in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area earn a typical $163,270 a year. The middle half earn $128,590 to $193,980, and the top 10% earn more than $223,260. About 20,610 people do this job there.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (occupation: Software Developers, SOC 15-1252).
Pay range
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $95,420 |
| 25th percentile | $128,590 |
| Median (typical) | $163,270 |
| 75th percentile | $193,980 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $223,260 |
Typical pay here ranks No. 6 of 50 large metros for software developers before taxes and prices.
After taxes and cost of living
At the typical $163,270, a single filer keeps about $111,900 a year after federal, Social Security, Medicare, and California state income tax. Prices in San Diego are 12% above the US average, so that take-home buys what $100,000 would in a typical US city. That ranks San Diego No. 12 of 50 large metros for software developers after cost of living.
Where software developers’ pay goes furthest
- San Jose, CA$213,110 typical · worth $130k
- Seattle, WA$167,280 typical · worth $113k
- San Francisco, CA$186,640 typical · worth $109k
- Boston, MA$166,090 typical · worth $108k
All 50 metros for software developers →
Where does your salary land?
Add your salary and experience to see your percentile among software developers in San Diego. Free and private. (Different city? Use the main checker.) 23 employers here filed pay above the typical rate in government filings; your check shows how many pay more than you.
Common questions
How much does a software developer make in San Diego, CA?
The typical (median) software developer in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area earns $163,270 a year. The middle half earn between $128,590 and $193,980, and the top 10% earn more than $223,260. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
What is a good salary for a software developer in San Diego?
Anything above $163,270 pays more than half of software developers in San Diego. $193,980 or more puts you in the top quarter, and $223,260 in the top 10%. Experience and employer move where you should be in that range.
How much does a software developer in San Diego take home after taxes?
At the typical $163,270, a single filer keeps about $111,900 a year ($9,330 a month) after federal, Social Security, Medicare, California state income tax. With local prices 12% above the US average, that buys what $100,000 would in a typical US city.
Where do software developers get paid the most after cost of living?
Among the 50 largest US metros, typical software developer pay goes furthest after taxes and prices in San Jose, CA, Seattle, WA, San Francisco, CA. San Diego, CA ranks No. 12.
More: Software developer pay in every large metro · Pay for other jobs in San Diego, CA
Local prices: BEA regional price parities, 2024. Updated November 2026.