As of July 01, 2026, the average annual salary for C Programmer in San Francisco, CA is $112,021, equivalent to $54 per hour, $2,154 weekly, or $9,335 monthly. These figures, sourced from Salary.com’s real-time job posting scans, highlight competitive earning potential for C Programmer in cities like San Jose, Santa Clara, and San Francisco.

Annually Salaries for C Programmer in San Francisco, CA vary widely, spanning from $91,334 to $129,241. Most professionals fall between the 25th percentile ($101,193) and 75th percentile ($121,035), while top earners (90th percentile) make $129,241 per year. This $19,842 pay gap underscores opportunities for salary growth through certifications, specialized skills like Team Development or Agile, or targeting high-paying regions like District of Columbia or California.

Location and experience significantly influence earnings. For example, San Francisco C Programmer often earn 13.1% higher than national averages. However, San Francisco currently ranks 3 statewide for C Programmer job salary. Professionals are advised to focus on high-growth sectors like to offset market challenges.

Based on HR-reported data: a national average with a geographic differential
C Programmer Salaries by Percentile
Percentile Salary Location Last Updated
10th Percentile C Programmer Salary $91,334 San Francisco, CA July 01, 2026
25th Percentile C Programmer Salary $101,193 San Francisco, CA July 01, 2026
50th Percentile C Programmer Salary $112,021 San Francisco, CA July 01, 2026
75th Percentile C Programmer Salary $121,035 San Francisco, CA July 01, 2026
90th Percentile C Programmer Salary $129,241 San Francisco, CA July 01, 2026
25% $101,193 10% $91,334 90% $129,241 75% $121,035 $112,021 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click
Change Search Criteria
Check out C Programmer jobs in San Francisco, California
Search More C Programmer Jobs in San Francisco, California

What is a C Programmer ?

A programmer, developer ("dev"), coder, or software engineer is a person who creates computer software. The term computer programmer can refer to a specialist in one area of computers, or to a generalist who writes code for many kinds of software. One who practices, or professes, a formal approach to programming may also be known as a programmer analyst. On the other hand, "code monkey" is a derogatory term for a programmer who simply writes code without any involvement in the design or specifications. A programmer's primary computer language (Assembly, COBOL, C, C++, C#, Java, Lisp, Python, ...

Source: Wikipedia (as of 04/18/2019). Read more from Wikipedia

See user submitted job responsibilities for C Programmer.

Job Openings for C Programmer in San Francisco, CA

Career Path for this job

  1. This Job:

    C Programmer

    2 - 4 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

  2. Up a level:

    Java Developer, Sr.

    4 - 7 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

Understand the total compensation opportunity for a C Programmer, base salary plus other pay elements

Average Base Salary

Core compensation

 
 
 
101193
121035
112021

Average Total Cash Compensation

Includes base and annual incentives

 
 
 
96788
127357
115065
These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of C Programmer in San Francisco, CA. The base salary for C Programmer ranges from $101,193 to $121,035 with the average base salary of $112,021. The total cash compensation, which includes base, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $96,788 to $127,357 with the average total cash compensation of $115,065.

Discover how your pay is adjusted for skills, experience, and other factors

How much should you be paid?

For a real-time salary target, tell us more about your role in the four categories below.

101193
121035

 

About San Francisco, California    San Francisco is located on the West Coast of the United States at the north end of the San Francisco Peninsula and includes significant stretches of ....More

San Francisco, California  area prices were up 4.5% from a year ago

C Programmer Salary in popular cities: Los AngelesSan DiegoSan Jose

Jobs with a similar salary range to C Programmer : Junior Java Web Developer, Substation Apprentice, Junior Javascript Developer