Software Engineering Talent: Supply vs Demand in California.
12.68% of US computer science grads come from California each year. Discover where most of them come from, and their job prospects. Identify emerging talent hubs, in-demand skills, and salary progression patterns.
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Where are California computer science grads coming from?
Top cities producing the most CS grads
Los Angeles, Irvine and Berkeley produced the highest number of CS grads. This represents 24.39% of the total CS grads from California.
Uncover other talent hubs with this interactive map.
Curious how this data compares to another state?
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Top institutions producing the most CS grads
California produces 17,309 of CS grads each year.
We've identified the top institutions supplying the highest number of future software engineers. University of Southern California came out on top, with 1,236 CS grads. This represents 7.14% of total grads in California.
Whether you're an employer recruiting rising tech talent or a student planning your academic career, these are definitely the schools to watch.
In-demand skills & job market outlook for California.
Top California cities with the highest number of job opportunities
Explore the California cities with the highest number of software engineering jobs.
13.76% of all job postings in California come from San Francisco.
Most in-demand technical skills
Learning in-demand programming languages and technologies is essential for staying ahead of the curve in a competitive job market.
Here are the most sought-after skills in California. Java was most in-demand, mentioned in 20.2% of the software engineering job postings we analyzed.
Average salary and job availability by education level
We analyzed 139,949 job postings in California.
Here's an overview of how many jobs are available at each education level, and the mean salary.
Salaries by seniority in California
Earning potential is an essential factor to consider when laying the groundwork for a career in software engineering.
This chart shows the median salaries for software engineers at different stages of their career.
While an entry-level software engineer in California can expect to earn $119,600, that figure jumps to $191,880 for senior tech talent, representing a 60.4% increase.
Additional info about California's talent landscape.
- High Concentration of Tech Companies: California is home to many of the world’s leading tech companies, including Google, Apple, and Meta (formerly Facebook). This high concentration of industry giants creates a high demand for software engineering talent.
- Competitive Salaries: Software engineers in California, particularly in the San Francisco Bay Area, earn some of the highest salaries in the country. Due to the demand for top talent coupled with a higher cost of living, the average annual salary for a software engineer in this region can exceed $130,000, with senior roles commanding even higher compensation.
- Collaboration with Diverse Talent: Boasting top universities like Stanford, UC Berkeley, and Caltech, California attracts a highly diverse pool of software engineering talent from around the globe. This melting pot fosters a collaborative environment where software engineers can work on cutting-edge projects, exchange ideas with top minds in the field, and drive technological advancements, ideal for tech professionals seeking a stimulating and inclusive workplace.
- Venture-backed Startups: Fueled by a robust venture capital ecosystem that invests heavily in new technologies and entrepreneurial ventures, California is a hotspot for innovative startups. This vibrant tech scene gives software engineers the chance to join dynamic, fast-paced startup companies with the financial backing to push boundaries of tech.
- Leader in Remote Work: Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the remote work trend has accelerated significantly in California's tech industry. In fact, recent data puts California among the top US states for most remote job opportunities for software engineers - making it an attractive choice for professionals who seek location flexibility.
Compare California with another state.
Where are the most promising opportunities? Find out how different hubs compare in terms of job availability, cost of living, and earning potential.
*Calculated based on US average of 100. Numbers higher than 100 relate to a higher cost of living.
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