Backend Software Engineer Salary in Los Gatos, CA

How much does a Backend Software Engineer make in Los Gatos, CA?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Backend Software Engineer in Los Gatos, CA is $159,201 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $77.

However, a Backend Software Engineer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $185,267
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $146,656 to $172,845
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $135,235
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View as table View as graph 25% $146,656 10% $135,235 90% $185,267 75% $172,845 $159,201 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Backend Software Engineer Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $172,845 $14,404 $3,324 $83
Average $159,201 $13,267 $3,062 $77
25th Percentile $146,656 $12,221 $2,820 $71
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Key Factors That Influence Backend Software Engineer Salaries

A Backend Software 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, skills and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Backend Software Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Backend Software 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:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $100,379
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $129,179
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $158,198
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $183,027
  • Expert (over 8 years): $210,405
Levels Salary
Software ... Level Backend Software Engineer$100,379
Software ... Level Backend Software Engineer$129,179
Backend S... Level Backend Software Engineer$158,198
Software ... Level Backend Software Engineer$183,027
Software ... Level Backend Software Engineer$210,405
$100,379 0 yr
$129,179 < 2 yrs
$158,198 2-4 yrs
$183,027 5-8 yrs
$210,405 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Backend Software Engineers

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:

  • San Jose: $161,745
  • San Francisco: $159,974
  • Oakland: $156,603

What Skills Can Increase a Backend Software Engineer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 2.68% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Software Development (Mentioned in 4.7% Job Postings): Software development is the process of conceiving, specifying, designing, programming, documenting, testing, and bug fixing involved in creating and maintaining applications, frameworks, or other software components. Software development is a process of writing and maintaining the source code, but in a broader sense, it includes all that is involved between the conception of the desired software through to the final manifestation of the software, sometimes in a planned and structured process. Therefore, software development may include research, new development, prototyping, modification, reuse, re-engineering, maintenance, or any other activities that result in software products. Software can be developed for a variety of purposes, the three most common being to meet specific needs of a specific client/business (the case with custom software), to meet a perceived need of some set of potential users (the case with commercial and open source software), or for personal use (e.g. a scientist may write software to automate a mundane task). Embedded software development, that is, the development of embedded software, such as used for controlling consumer products, requires the development process to be integrated with the development of the controlled physical product. System software underlies applications and the programming process itself, and is often developed separately.
  • Software Engineering (Mentioned in 2.8% Job Postings): Software engineering is the application of engineering to the development of software in a systematic method. Notable definitions of software engineering include: "the systematic application of scientific and technological knowledge, methods, and experience to the design, implementation, testing, and documentation of software"—The Bureau of Labor Statistics—IEEE Systems and software engineering - Vocabulary "The application of a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of software"—IEEE Standard Glossary of Software Engineering Terminology "an engineering discipline that is concerned with all aspects of software production"—Ian Sommerville "the establishment and use of sound engineering principles in order to economically obtain software that is reliable and works efficiently on real machines"—Fritz Bauer
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 2.68%
Software Development 4.7%
Software Engineering 2.8%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Backend Software Engineer's salary.
  • Open Source: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
  • Container: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
  • Innovation: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Open Source
$165,569
4%
Container
$163,977
3%
Innovation
$163,977
3%
Kubernetes
$163,977
3%
Python
$162,385
2%
AWS
$162,385
2%
Get Latest Data

Backend Software Engineer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Backend Software Engineer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 27% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Energy & Utilities and Aerospace & Defense sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 14% above the average. In contrast, Backend Software Engineer positions in Retail & Wholesale or MFG Nondurable typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Backend Software Engineer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Backend Software Engineer

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Energy & Utilities$181,489$87.014%
Aerospace & Defense$178,305$86.012%
Internet$176,713$85.011%
Biotechnology$175,121$84.010%
Software & Networking$173,529$83.09%

Backend Software Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Backend Software 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.

Last Updated on August 01, 2026

Find Your Next Backend Software Engineer Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Backend Software Engineer job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
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