How Much Does a Software Researcher Make in California?

Updated April 01, 2025
As of April 01, 2025, the average annual pay of Software Researcher in California is $113,787. While Salary.com is seeing that Software Researcher salary in CA can go up to $131,988 or down to $87,853, but most earn between $100,212 and $123,314. Salary ranges can vary widely depending on many important factors, including education, certifications, additional skills, and your experience levels. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.
25% $100,212 10% $87,853 90% $131,988 75% $123,314 $113,787 50%(Median)
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Similar Job Salaries to Software Researcher by Company

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Company average base salary in (usd) range
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Modeling & Simulation Software Developer - Postdoctoral Researcher
$119,547/yr
$108,138
$130,957
RANGE: $108,138 - $130,957
Siemens EDA (Siemens Digital Industries Software)
EDA/CAD Tool Researcher & Software Developer
$161,327/yr
$147,738
$174,916
RANGE: $147,738 - $174,916
Planet Pharma
Researcher
$78,693/yr
$68,700
$88,685
RANGE: $68,700 - $88,685
Yellow Duck Technologies Inc.
Cleared Senior Software Researcher
$121,693/yr
$111,581
$131,806
RANGE: $111,581 - $131,806
Leidos
Senior Software Researcher
$126,341/yr
$115,669
$137,014
RANGE: $115,669 - $137,014
Meet Life Sciences
Senior Researcher
$111,345/yr
$98,631
$124,058
RANGE: $98,631 - $124,058
ektello
UX Researcher
$125,660/yr
$113,814
$137,507
RANGE: $113,814 - $137,507
$86,420/yr
$76,676
$96,165
RANGE: $76,676 - $96,165
Cisco Systems, Inc.
AI Researcher
$132,822/yr
$122,356
$143,288
RANGE: $122,356 - $143,288
R&D Partners
Associate Researcher
$108,128/yr
$96,308
$119,948
RANGE: $96,308 - $119,948

Open Software Researcher Jobs in California

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Top 10 Highest Paying Cities For Software Researcher Jobs in California

It is important to understand how location impacts your career prospects in the United States. There are some cities where a Software Researcher can find a job easily with a greater salary paid then achieve a higher standard of living. Below is the top cities list for Software Researcher job salaries in California. Some cities can pay higher salaries for Software Researcher jobs, which can indicate that there is a large demand for Software Researcher positions in this city.
The following table shows top 10 cities where the Software Researcher salary is higher than other cities in California. San Jose takes first place in this list, followed by Santa Clara, Fremont. The Software Researcher salary is $130,117 in San Jose, which is higher than the national average. There are 76 cities' Software Researcher salary higher than national average in California.
The average salary for a Software Researcher in California is $113,787, but we found that the city with the highest salary for Software Researcher jobs is San Jose, CA, and it is higher than Santa Clara. Software Researcher jobs in San Jose can have the opportunity to earn higher salaries than in other cities in California.
CITY ANNUAL SALARY MONTHLY PAY WEEKLY PAY HOURLY WAGE
San Jose $130,117 $10,843 $2,502 $63
Santa Clara $130,117 $10,843 $2,502 $63
Fremont $129,870 $10,822 $2,497 $62
San Francisco $128,838 $10,737 $2,478 $62
Daly City $128,838 $10,737 $2,478 $62
Berkeley $125,981 $10,498 $2,423 $61
Oakland $125,981 $10,498 $2,423 $61
Hayward $125,774 $10,481 $2,419 $60
Antioch $118,862 $9,905 $2,286 $57
Vallejo $116,056 $9,671 $2,232 $56

What Does a Software Researcher Do?

Computer Assisted Qualitative Data AnalysiS software (CAQDAS) has been around for quite a while, and has assisted researchers in analyzing primarily text-based documents and storing that analysis in a findable and interactive manner.
Updated October 19, 2021
For example, you might have an open source generalist developer that primarily works on developing open source software for research, but also holds office hours once a week to support researchers, and develops novel tools in spare time.
Updated December 22, 2021
However, it would likely benefit researchers across domains, and perhaps they won’t know it until the software is available to them.
Updated December 15, 2021
Are you employed as a postdoctoral researcher, even though you predominantly work on software development.
Updated December 12, 2021
Comparison between Software Developer and Software Researcher could measure in obligation and work process.
Updated December 07, 2021

Frequently Asked Questions About a Software Researcher Salaries

What is the average of a Software Researcher in California?

The Software Researcher salary range is from $100,212 to $123,314, and the average Software Researcher salary is $113,787/year in California. The Software Researcher's salary will change in different locations.

Which location pays the highest Software Researcher salary in the United States?

The Software Researcher salary in San Jose, CA is $130,117 which is the highest in the US.

What kinds of reasons will influence the Software Researcher's salary?

Besides the location, employees' education degree, related skills, and work experience also will influence the salary. Try to improve your skills and experience to get a higher salary for the position of Software Researcher.

What is the growth rate of the Software Researcher's salary?

If you are thinking of becoming a Software Researcher or planning the next step in your career, find the detailed salary report of a Software Researcher.