As of March 01, 2026, the average annual salary for Senior Computer Engineer in California is $159,828, equivalent to $77 per hour, $3,074 weekly, or $13,319 monthly. These figures, sourced from Salary.com’s real-time job posting scans, highlight competitive earning potential for Senior Computer Engineer in cities like Santa Clara, San Jose, and Fremont.

Annually Salaries for Senior Computer Engineer in California vary widely, spanning from $140,311 to $178,815. Most professionals fall between the 25th percentile ($149,612) and 75th percentile ($169,766), while top earners (90th percentile) make $178,815 per year. This $20,154 pay gap underscores opportunities for salary growth through certifications, specialized skills like Attention to Detail or 3D CAD, or targeting high-paying regions like District of Columbia or California.

Location and experience significantly influence earnings. For example, California Senior Computer Engineer often earn 10.3% higher than national averages due to demand from Fortune 40 companies. However, California currently ranks 2 nationwide for Senior Computer Engineer 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
Senior Computer Engineer Salaries by Percentile
Percentile Salary Location Last Updated
10th Percentile Senior Computer Engineer Salary $140,311 CA March 01, 2026
25th Percentile Senior Computer Engineer Salary $149,612 CA March 01, 2026
50th Percentile Senior Computer Engineer Salary $159,828 CA March 01, 2026
75th Percentile Senior Computer Engineer Salary $169,766 CA March 01, 2026
90th Percentile Senior Computer Engineer Salary $178,815 CA March 01, 2026
25% $149,612 10% $140,311 90% $178,815 75% $169,766 $159,828 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click
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Sr. Site Reliability Engineer

Apple Inc. - Hayes Valley, CA

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What is a Senior Computer Engineer ?

A software engineer is a person who applies the principles of software engineering to the design, development, maintenance, testing, and evaluation of computer software. Prior to the mid-1970s, software practitioners called themselves computer programmers or software developers, regardless of their actual jobs. Many people prefer to call themselves software developer and programmer, because most widely agree what these terms mean, while the exact meaning of software engineer is still being debated....

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

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Location Avg. Salary Date Updated
Location Coachella, CA Avg. Salary $185,815 Date Updated March 01, 2026
Location Acampo, CA Avg. Salary $189,646 Date Updated March 01, 2026
Location Acton, CA Avg. Salary $195,198 Date Updated March 01, 2026
Location Adelanto, CA Avg. Salary $185,674 Date Updated March 01, 2026
Location Adin, CA Avg. Salary $181,364 Date Updated March 01, 2026
Location Agoura Hills, CA Avg. Salary $192,644 Date Updated March 01, 2026
Location Aguanga, CA Avg. Salary $186,064 Date Updated March 01, 2026
Location Ahwahnee, CA Avg. Salary $176,646 Date Updated March 01, 2026
Location Alameda, CA Avg. Salary $216,587 Date Updated March 01, 2026
Location Alamo, CA Avg. Salary $216,090 Date Updated March 01, 2026
Job Openings for Senior Computer Engineer in California

Career Path for this job

  1. Down a level:

    CAD Drafter IV

    7 + years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

  2. This Job:

    Senior Computer Engineer

    10 + years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

  3. Up a level:

    CAD Supervisor

    3 + years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

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