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As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Soc Engineer in California is $84,439 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $41.
However, a Soc Engineer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
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Soc Engineer Salaries by Percentile
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $92,715 | $7,726 | $1,783 | $45 |
| Average | $84,439 | $7,037 | $1,624 | $41 |
| 25th Percentile | $74,815 | $6,235 | $1,439 | $36 |
quadric, Inc - Burlingame, CA
E-Space - Saratoga, CA
E-Space - Saratoga, CA
Samsung Semiconductor - San Jose, CA
A Soc Engineer's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location and company size can directly affect your earning potential.
Experience is a primary driver of a Soc Engineer's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here’s how the average salary grows at different career stages:
| Levels | Salary |
|---|---|
| Technical... Level Soc Engineer | $71,973 |
| Soc Engin... Level Soc Engineer | $86,444 |
| Technical... Level Soc Engineer | $114,163 |
| Technical... Level Soc Engineer | $132,738 |
| Technical... Level Soc Engineer | $163,215 |
What Am I Worth?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Soc Engineers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
For Soc Engineer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 70% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Biotechnology and Aerospace & Defense sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average. In contrast, Soc Engineer positions in Software & Networking or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Soc Engineer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
| Industry Sector | Average Annual Salary | Average Hourly Rate | Pay vs.Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biotechnology | $109,771 | $53.0 | 30% |
| Aerospace & Defense | $101,327 | $49.0 | 20% |
Understanding how a Soc Engineer's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
| Annual Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75th Percentile | $92,715 | $7,726 | $1,783 | $45 |
| Average | $84,439 | $7,037 | $1,624 | $41 |
| 25th Percentile | $74,815 | $6,235 | $1,439 | $36 |
Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Soc Engineer job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.
E-Space
Saratoga, CA
E-Space | Saratoga, CA
Job Description. Job Description. Ready to make connectivity from space universally accessible, secure and actionable. Then you’ve come to the right place.... more
8 Days Ago
Encore Semi Llc
San Jose, CA
Encore Semi Llc | San Jose, CA
A technology company is seeking a Senior Design Verification Engineer to verify ASIC and SoC designs from specification through bring-up.The role demands e... more
7 Days Ago
Etched
San Jose, CA
Etched | San Jose, CA
Job Description. Job Description. About Etched. Etched is building hardware for frontier intelligence. We co-design chips, racks, software, and manufacturi... more
5 Days Ago
Renesas Electronics
San Jose, CA
Renesas Electronics | San Jose, CA
Job Description. Job Description. Company Description. Renesas is one of the top global semiconductor companies in the world. We strive to develop a safer,... more
6 Days Ago
Lumotive
Milpitas, CA
Lumotive | Milpitas, CA
Job Description. Job Description. Lumotive is pioneering the era of programmable optics—where light is controlled as intelligently and flexibly as software... more
5 Days Ago
Samsung Semiconductor
San Jose, CA
Samsung Semiconductor | San Jose, CA
Samsung Semiconductor is seeking a Senior Staff Physical Implementation CAD Engineer to shape physical design CAD flows for high‑performance GPU and SoC de... more
8 Days Ago
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