How Much Does a Programming Engineer Make in San Jose, CA ? (2026 Salary Guide)

Programming Engineer Salary in San Jose, CA

As of March 01, 2026, the average annual salary for Programming Engineer in San Jose, CA is $179,251, equivalent to $86 per hour, $3,447 weekly, or $14,938 monthly. These figures, sourced from Salary.com’s real-time job posting scans, highlight competitive earning potential for Programming Engineer in cities like Santa Clara, San Jose, and Fremont.

Annually Salaries for Programming Engineer in San Jose, CA vary widely, spanning from $151,990 to $208,493. Most professionals fall between the 25th percentile ($164,982) and 75th percentile ($194,557), while top earners (90th percentile) make $208,493 per year. This $29,575 pay gap underscores opportunities for salary growth through certifications, specialized skills like Analysis or Software Development, or targeting high-paying regions like District of Columbia or California.

Location and experience significantly influence earnings. For example, San Jose Programming Engineer often earn 14.4% higher than national averages. However, San Jose currently ranks 2 statewide for Programming Engineer job salary. Professionals are advised to focus on high-growth sectors like to offset market challenges.

Develop a Job description
Pay Equity
Salary Grading Scale
Pay Strategy
2025 Compensation Trend
Compensation Consulting
Salary Salary + Bonus Benefits
Based on HR-reported data: a national average with a geographic differential
View as table View as graph
Programming Engineer Salaries by Percentile
Percentile Salary Location Last Updated
10th Percentile Programming Engineer Salary $151,990 San Jose, CA March 01, 2026
25th Percentile Programming Engineer Salary $164,982 San Jose, CA March 01, 2026
50th Percentile Programming Engineer Salary $179,251 San Jose, CA March 01, 2026
75th Percentile Programming Engineer Salary $194,557 San Jose, CA March 01, 2026
90th Percentile Programming Engineer Salary $208,493 San Jose, CA March 01, 2026
25% $164,982 10% $151,990 90% $208,493 75% $194,557 $179,251 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click
Employers: Find Surveys For This Job Employers: Price Your Company Jobs Employees: View your Salary
Change Search Criteria
Check out Programming Engineer jobs in San Jose, California
Apply Now
Apply Now
Apply Now
Apply Now
Search More Programming Engineer Jobs in San Jose, California
See it in Action

What is a Programming Engineer ?

Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build, and test machines, systems, structures and materials to fulfill objectives and requirements while considering the limitations imposed by practicality, regulation, safety, and cost. The word engineer (Latin ingeniator) is derived from the Latin words ingeniare ("to create, generate, contrive, devise") and ingenium ("cleverness"). The foundational qualifications of an engineer typically include a four-year bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline, or in some jurisdictions, a master's degree in...

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

See user submitted job responsibilities for Programming Engineer.

Search Programming Engineer Job Openings

Job Openings for Programming Engineer in San Jose, CA

Career Path for this job

  1. Down a level:

    Software Engineer II

    2 - 4 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

  2. This Job:

    Programming Engineer

    4 - 7 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

  3. Up a level:

    Software Engineer IV

    7 + years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

Not the job you're looking for? Search more salaries here:

Understand the total compensation opportunity for a Programming Engineer, base salary plus other pay elements

Average Base Salary

Core compensation

 
 
 
164982
194557
179251

Average Total Cash Compensation

Includes base and annual incentives

 
 
 
179524
220229
198888
These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Programming Engineer in San Jose, CA. The base salary for Programming Engineer ranges from $164,982 to $194,557 with the average base salary of $179,251. The total cash compensation, which includes base, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $179,524 to $220,229 with the average total cash compensation of $198,888.

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.

164982
194557

 

About San Jose, California    San Jose is located at 37°20′07″N 121°53′31″W / 37.335278°N 121.891944°W / 37.335278; -121.891944. According to the United States Census Bureau, th....More

San Jose, California  area prices were up 2.9% from a year ago

Programming Engineer Salary in popular cities: Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco

Skills associated with Programming Engineer: Design, Machining

Recently searched related titles: Application Software Engineer, Controls Software Engineer, Delivery Software Engineer

Learn more about: Compensation Packages, Employee Flight Risk, Gender Pay Gap, Job Openings for This Role

Jobs with a similar salary range to Programming Engineer : Computer Vision Researcher, Software Administrator, Software Developers