Staff Software Engineer Salary in San Diego

💰 $164K–$205K salary range

Median: $180K  ·  Based on 20 public job postings  ·  Updated July 1, 2026

This Staff Software Engineer salary benchmark for San Diego is built from public job postings at high-growth and AI-native companies — no private placement data. Figures reflect base salary and are refreshed as new postings are collected.

📊 Salary breakdown

Staff Software Engineer pay in San Diego vs. national

• San Diego: $180K median
• National: $225K median

San Diego Staff Software Engineer pay runs 20% below the national median.

Engineering salaries in San Diego by seniority

• Software Engineer: $138K
• Senior Software Engineer: $167K
• Staff Software Engineer: $180K

What does a Staff Software Engineer in San Diego do?

Staff Software Engineers are engineers who design, build, and operate the core software systems. This benchmark reflects Staff-level base compensation for San Diego-based roles at high-growth and AI-native companies.

Common questions

What is the average Staff Software Engineer salary in San Diego?
The median pay is $180K, with a typical range of $164K–$205K, based on 20 public San Diego job postings collected in 2025–2026.

How does San Diego compare to the national Staff Software Engineer salary?
The national median is $225K; San Diego is shown above.

Where does this data come from?
Public job postings on company career pages — no private placement or client data. Minimum 15 San Diego postings.

Methodology

Posted-range midpoints (USD) aggregated from 20 public job postings located in San Diego (2025–2026). Range = 25th–75th percentile; median = 50th percentile. Equity is excluded. At least 15 San Diego postings required to publish. Last refreshed July 1, 2026.

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