- 1.San Francisco/Silicon Valley pays highest in the nation: Senior SWE median $175K base, $280K-$400K TC at Big Tech
- 2.Los Angeles tech salaries 15-20% lower than Bay Area but cost of living 20-25% lower—better purchasing power
- 3.San Diego emerging as tech hub with $130K-$155K median for senior engineers, strong biotech/defense presence
- 4.Remote work has compressed geographic differentials but California still commands 20-30% premium over national median
- 5.California's 13.3% top marginal tax rate is highest in nation—consider after-tax income in comparisons
California Tech Salaries by Metro Area
California dominates US tech employment with three major hubs. The Bay Area (San Francisco + South Bay/Silicon Valley) is the undisputed leader, but Los Angeles and San Diego offer compelling alternatives with better cost-adjusted returns.
Senior Software Engineer Salary by California Metro
| Metro Area | Base Salary | Big Tech TC | COL Index | Adjusted Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $175,000 | $350K-$450K | 188 | $93,000 (adj) |
| South Bay (Silicon Valley) | $170,000 | $350K-$450K | 185 | $92,000 (adj) |
| Los Angeles | $145,000 | $280K-$380K | 152 | $95,000 (adj) |
| San Diego | $135,000 | $250K-$350K | 138 | $98,000 (adj) |
| Sacramento | $125,000 | Limited Big Tech | 115 | $109,000 (adj) |
Source: Glassdoor, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024
Source: Glassdoor 2024
Bay Area: Tech's Ground Zero
The Bay Area contains the highest concentration of Big Tech headquarters and venture-backed startups globally. Google, Meta, Apple, Salesforce, and thousands of startups compete for talent, driving salaries to national highs.
Bay Area Salaries by Role
| Role | Entry (0-2 yr) | Senior (5-8 yr) | Staff+ (8+ yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer | $130K-$160K | $170K-$200K | $200K-$280K |
| Data Scientist | $125K-$155K | $160K-$190K | $190K-$250K |
| Product Manager | $130K-$160K | $170K-$210K | $210K-$280K |
| DevOps/SRE | $120K-$150K | $165K-$200K | $200K-$260K |
| Security Engineer | $115K-$145K | $155K-$190K | $190K-$250K |
Source: Glassdoor, Levels.fyi 2024
Los Angeles: Entertainment Tech Hub
LA has emerged as a serious tech hub beyond entertainment. Snap, TikTok (ByteDance US), SpaceX, and numerous startups provide Big Tech opportunities. The gaming and media sectors offer unique tech roles not found elsewhere.
Major LA Tech Employers
| Company | Sector | Senior SWE TC | Notable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snap | Social Media | $280K-$380K | LA headquarters |
| TikTok/ByteDance | Social Media | $300K-$400K | Growing US presence |
| SpaceX | Aerospace | $180K-$250K | Below market, mission-driven |
| Riot Games | Gaming | $200K-$300K | Top gaming employer |
| Disney Tech | Entertainment | $180K-$280K | Streaming, parks tech |
Source: Levels.fyi, Glassdoor 2024
San Diego: Biotech and Defense Tech
San Diego combines tech with biotech, telecommunications, and defense. Qualcomm is the major tech employer, with growing startup scene. Lower cost of living than Bay Area or LA makes it attractive for quality of life.
Cost of Living Comparison
Nominal salaries don't tell the full story. After adjusting for California's high cost of living, purchasing power varies significantly.
Purchasing Power: Bay Area vs San Diego
Same role, different real income
San Diego Senior SWE ($135K)
Median Annual Salary
Bay Area Senior SWE ($175K)
Median Annual Salary
Top California Tech Employers
California hosts headquarters or major offices for most of the world's top tech companies.
Top 15 California Tech Employers
| Company | Location | CA Employees | Senior SWE TC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple | Cupertino | ~40,000 | $350K-$450K |
Mountain View | ~50,000 | $350K-$500K | |
| Meta | Menlo Park | ~25,000 | $350K-$450K |
| Salesforce | San Francisco | ~15,000 | $280K-$380K |
| Netflix | Los Gatos | ~3,000 | $400K-$600K |
| NVIDIA | Santa Clara | ~8,000 | $350K-$500K |
| Adobe | San Jose | ~6,000 | $280K-$380K |
| Snap | Los Angeles | ~3,000 | $280K-$380K |
| Qualcomm | San Diego | ~13,000 | $250K-$350K |
| Oracle | Austin/Redwood City | ~10,000 | $250K-$350K |
Source: Company reports, LinkedIn 2024
Salary data from crowdsourced databases, cost of living from BEA.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Articles
Data Sources
Salary reports by metro area
Cost of living indices
Tech company compensation
Taylor Rupe
Full-Stack Developer (B.S. Computer Science, B.A. Psychology)
Taylor combines formal training in computer science with a background in human behavior to evaluate complex search, AI, and data-driven topics. His technical review ensures each article reflects current best practices in semantic search, AI systems, and web technology.