Software Engineer Salary in San Diego

Pay ranges below come from 7 current software engineer listings that disclose salary in San Diego, updated daily. We only show what employers actually post — never estimates.

Median base pay

from 7 disclosed ranges

$182,500/yr

$139,360small sample of 7$250,000

Highest-paying employers in San Diego

Shield AIup to $310,000
Zooxup to $240,000

Highest disclosed figure per employer in the current feed.

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Software Engineer roles in San Diego that list pay

Real current listings, highest disclosed pay first.

Staff Software Engineer, Autonomy - Behavior and Motion Planning (R6007)

Shield AI · San Diego, California

$200,000 - $300,000

Tailor & apply →

Manager, Software Engineering (R5966)

Shield AI · San Diego, California

$170,000 - $310,000

Tailor & apply →

Embedded Software Engineer - Battery Management Systems

Zoox · San Diego, CA

$200,000 - $240,000

Tailor & apply →

Software Engineer - Ride and Fleet Services

Zoox · San Diego, CA

$145,000 - $219,000

Tailor & apply →

Embedded Software Engineer - Power Systems

Zoox · San Diego, CA

$155,000 - $190,000

Tailor & apply →

What moves Software Engineer pay

Seniority

Years of experience and scope are the biggest lever — senior software engineer roles routinely clear the top of the range above.

Company & industry

Larger and high-margin employers pay more for the same software engineer title than smaller or non-profit ones.

Local market

Cost of living and local demand shift San Diego offers up or down versus the national figure.

Frequently asked

How much does a Software Engineer make in San Diego?

Based on 7 disclosed ranges in our current feed, the median is around $182,500 per year. Actual pay varies by experience, company, and specialty.

Where do these numbers come from?

Real job listings in Climbr's feed that publish a salary range, refreshed daily and annualized for comparison. We don't use survey estimates or model-generated figures — if employers don't post pay, we don't show a number.

How can I earn more as a Software Engineer?

Target the higher-paying employers above, tailor your resume to each role so it clears applicant screens, and negotiate against the posted range. Climbr scores your resume against each job and rewrites bullets to match — free to start.

Software Engineer salary in other cities

Other salaries in San Diego

See open Software Engineer jobs in San Diego →