Quick answer: California employs about 284,390 software developers (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing runs through the employers and certifying bodies you are targeting. Programs, the careers this degree opens, and what they pay are below.
Compare technology programs enrolling now:
Licensing and Credentials in California
Computing is not a licensed field, so no board issues a permit to work in it. What circulates instead are vendor and industry certifications - the network, cloud and security credentials employers name in postings - and on the academic side ABET’s computing commission accredits some programs, though far from all reputable ones carry it.
Requirements are set at state level and are amended periodically. Before you enroll in any program, confirm with the employers and certifying bodies you are targeting that the specific program you are considering satisfies the education requirement, and ask what it accepts from any training you have already completed. Get the answer in writing.
Earning the Degree While You Work
Most people reading this already have a job in the field, and the practical question is whether the credential can be earned without leaving it. Programs designed for working adults deliver the academic portion online or in the evening, while any labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience happen in person and locally. Prior college credit, military training, apprenticeship coursework and industry certifications can all shorten the path, so request a written transfer credit evaluation before you commit to any school.
Schools Near You
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention.
Advertising plays no part.
This page lists 10 schools
within 73 miles, closest group first, then ordered by
BOC Score with the highest at the top.
10 of them carry a score.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal
about the institution rather than about this subject.
Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from
this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
#1
University of California-Santa Barbara
📍
Santa Barbara, CA
•71.4 miles away•BOC Score
77.3
Software Developers in California earn a median $174,410 per year, above the national median of $135,980 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Technology Pay and Employment in California at a Glance
Metric
California
National
Source
Median annual wage
$174,410
$135,980
BLS OEWS, May 2025
10th percentile
$105,060
$82,460
BLS OEWS, May 2025
25th percentile
$136,990
$105,210
BLS OEWS, May 2025
75th percentile
$216,670
$171,980
BLS OEWS, May 2025
90th percentile
$272,670
$214,670
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Employment
284,390
1,687,890
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location quotient
1.44
1.00
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Projected change (2024-34)
not published by state
15.8%
BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34
How California Pay Compares to the Rest of the Country
The California median of $174,410 sits above the national median of $135,980 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Percentiles matter more than the midpoint when you are deciding whether a degree pays for itself: the 10th percentile is roughly where people start, and the 90th is what the top of the local market looks like after years of experience.
A location quotient of 1.44 puts California well above the national average, so the work is noticeably more common here than in the typical state. That usually means a deeper job market and more room to change employers without relocating (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The measure compares how concentrated the occupation is here against the national average of 1.00.
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Technology hiring concentrates in metros with a corporate or data centre base, and remote work has widened but not erased that pattern.
Software Developers Wages by Metro Area in California
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), software developers wages in California vary by metro area.
Metro Area
Employment
Median Annual Wage
Avg. Annual Wage
Entry Level (10th pctile)
Experienced (90th pctile)
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara
87,350
$213,110
$221,710
$138,420
$289,150
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont
69,030
$186,640
$193,430
$128,090
$273,400
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim
55,540
$160,920
$161,900
$98,270
$223,150
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
20,610
$163,270
$163,300
$95,420
$223,260
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom
7,460
$139,640
$152,930
$100,040
$209,140
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
4,150
$133,270
$139,570
$85,090
$205,760
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura
2,170
$159,430
$174,020
$94,560
$223,490
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
1,680
$158,290
$158,220
$99,670
$215,750
Bakersfield-Delano
740
$130,330
$153,610
$88,670
$203,810
Fresno
740
$129,060
$131,810
$78,060
$175,410
Stockton-Lodi
570
$138,550
$147,640
$91,500
$209,460
Santa Rosa-Petaluma
560
$148,630
$152,280
$94,080
$214,360
Santa Cruz-Watsonville
540
$156,910
$153,930
$92,520
$209,260
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles
520
$135,020
$155,770
$74,770
$204,240
Vallejo
330
$136,930
$142,170
$83,800
$209,530
Modesto
300
$119,770
$122,860
$78,540
$174,220
Salinas
290
$135,160
$140,500
$83,870
$204,020
Visalia
230
$126,170
$126,630
$71,140
$176,080
Redding
160
$129,230
$129,870
$77,970
$173,300
Chico
150
$131,360
$135,490
$77,750
$188,330
Napa
130
$153,130
$154,740
$98,330
$225,790
Merced
80
$132,120
$137,840
$79,210
$201,850
Yuba City
80
$132,120
$136,090
$75,160
$196,490
El Centro
70
$125,930
$128,310
$67,570
$171,200
Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do software developers make in California?
The median annual wage for software developers in California is $174,410, above the national median of $135,980 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle of the range runs from $136,990 at the 25th percentile to $216,670 at the 75th.
How many software developers work in California?
California holds about 284,390 software developer jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Nationally the occupation employs 1,687,890, and BLS projects about 115,200 openings per year through 2034 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34).
Do I need a license to work as a software developer in California?
Computing is not a licensed field, so no board issues a permit to work in it. What circulates instead are vendor and industry certifications - the network, cloud and security credentials employers name in postings - and on the academic side ABET's computing commission accredits some programs, though far from all reputable ones carry it. Requirements are set at the state level and change periodically, so confirm the current rules with the employers and certifying bodies you are targeting before you enroll in any program.
Can I earn a technology degree online while working in California?
Often yes. Programs built for working adults deliver coursework online or in the evenings, though any required labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience are completed in person. Confirm that the program's accreditation satisfies the employers and certifying bodies you are targeting.
What is the highest-paying area of California for software developers?
Among California metro areas with published data, San Jose reports the highest median at $213,110 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Is California a good state for software developers?
On pay, the state median of $174,410 sits above the national $135,980 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A location quotient of 1.44 means the occupation is more concentrated here than in the average state. Weigh that against cost of living and how concentrated the work is near where you actually want to live.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Software Developers (SOC 15-1252), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
