Software Developers salary in Sacramento, CA
Median pay for software developers in Sacramento, CA: $142,240/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $90,370 – $204,740 · about 6,830 employed locally
Above the typical metro median ($111,055) by +$31,185 (+28%).
What it's really worth in Sacramento
With Sacramento's cost of living at 109 (US=100), that $142,240 has the buying power of about $130,387 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $89,227 · median home $582,707 · median rent $2,283/mo.
How Sacramento ranks for this job
On raw pay, Sacramento, CA is 10th of the 186 metros we hold software developers wages for. Once Sacramento's cost of living is applied, it ranks 29th.
The headline number flatters Sacramento. Once housing and everyday costs are taken into account, software developers here keep less of what they earn than the raw salary implies.
What that salary buys in Sacramento
A median home in Sacramento, CA costs $582,707 — about 4.1× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is more attainable here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $2,283/mo works out at 19% of gross pay — inside the conventional 30% affordability ceiling.
Where software developers earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Sacramento.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Sacramento | Rent vs Sacramento |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $199,100 | +40% | 1.6× |
| San Francisco, CA | $172,340 | +21% | 1.4× |
| Seattle, WA | $167,030 | +17% | 1× |
| Santa Maria, CA | $154,200 | +8% | 1.5× |
Same job elsewhere in CA
| Metro | Median pay | vs Sacramento | Rent vs Sacramento |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $199,100 | +40% | 1.6× |
| San Francisco, CA | $172,340 | +21% | 1.4× |
| Santa Maria, CA | $154,200 | +8% | 1.5× |
| Los Angeles, CA | $153,560 | +8% | 1.3× |
Staying in CA keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires software developers around Sacramento
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- Intel · Tech
- Aerojet · Aerospace/Defense
Other jobs in Sacramento
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 186 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.