How much does a Software Developer make in San Francisco, CA?

The average salary for a Software Developer is $127,291 per year in San Francisco, CA. Salaries estimates are based on 137279 salaries submitted anonymously to Glassdoor by a Software Developer employees in San Francisco, CA.

The highest salary for a Software Developer in San Francisco, CA is $158,133 per year.

The lowest salary for a Software Developer in San Francisco, CA is $102,947 per year.

If you are thinking of becoming a Software Developer or planning the next step in your career, find details about the role, the career path and salary trajectory of a Software Developer.

Software developers are paid well above average, often receiving six-figure salaries. The pay range reflects the demand for their skillset and the profitability of the products they make. Candidates with prior experience in the field or higher levels of education generally receive higher salaries. Pay is expected to grow as the digital transformation reaches a global level. Software developers can further increase their total pay by pursuing freelance consulting opportunities.

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In anonymous ratings left on Glassdoor, 71% of software developers say they're satisfied with how much they get paid. You could potentially earn an average of $9,986.06 through stock options and profit sharing if you work for a start-up as a software developer.

During your career as a software developer, you can earn average compensation ranging from $85,101.18 to $191,778.74. In general, jobs working for software publishers tend to pay above the average salary of $117,305.14 for developers. Once you have a few years of experience, you can likely qualify for a higher-paying position as a senior software developer.

Specialty certifications increase your software developer salary by expanding your expertise to new programming languages and skills. Consider boosting your salary with classes in project management, Scrum, Azure, Amazon Web Services, cloud services, Red Hat, Salesforce, or any of countless other areas. You can earn a master's degree in software development to improve your chances of moving into a management role in this field, which also increases the available salary. If you're interested in conducting research or teaching within the realm of software development, consider investing in a Ph.D. in software development.

To successfully negotiate a substantial salary for a software developer job, you'll need to know how much professionals in your region earn in similar roles. You should also show off your relevant skills and indicate how they can drive value for the client. Keep on top of the most profitable programming languages, since you'll have more leverage in the negotiations if you have in-demand expertise that most candidates lack. Emphasize your knowledge of various coding languages, such as Python, Java, Golang, and Ruby. In addition to direct tech skills, demonstrate your ability to manage projects successfully and maintain a high level of quality control.