Computer Programmers Salary
Computer Programmers in Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA make a median of $108,060 a year, or about $51.95 an hour. The range runs from $68K at the entry level to $154K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 107.78), so that salary is closer to $100,260 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,827/month, about 42.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $108K actually covers in Santa Rosa-Petaluma, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Santa Rosa-Petaluma’s Regional Price Parity (107.78). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About computer programmers
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What this looks like in Santa Rosa-Petaluma
Computer programmers pay in Santa Rosa-Petaluma tracks closely to the national median, $108K locally vs. $100K nationwide, a 8% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,827/month, which is 43.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 8% above the national average (BEA RPP 107.78), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for computer programmers in metros near Santa Rosa-Petaluma, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $107K | $94K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $131K | $113K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $134K | $120K |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $155K | $140K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
Entry-level computer programmers (10th percentile) start around $68K. Mid-career wages sit at $108K. Top earners bring in $154K or more, a $86K spread from bottom to top.
Computer Programmers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Computer Programmers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | $134K | +33% | 1,650 |
| Massachusetts | $128K | +28% | 1,930 |
| Washington | $126K | +25% | 2,540 |
| Maryland | $126K | +25% | 2,490 |
| Virginia | $122K | +21% | 3,070 |
| Hawaii | $118K | +18% | 450 |
| California | $117K | +16% | 11,340 |
| Arkansas | $112K | +11% | 1,050 |
| Minnesota | $107K | +7% | 2,070 |
| New Jersey | $105K | +5% | 3,930 |
| Utah | $105K | +4% | 690 |
| Colorado | $105K | +4% | 930 |
| New York | $104K | +4% | 7,020 |
| Maine | $102K | +1% | 450 |
| Oklahoma | $100K | -1% | 990 |
| South Carolina | $100K | -1% | 790 |
| Oregon | $100K | -1% | 1,370 |
| Texas | $99K | -1% | 7,620 |
| Georgia | $98K | -2% | 1,890 |
| Indiana | $97K | -3% | 1,520 |
| Rhode Island | $96K | -4% | 250 |
| Nebraska | $95K | -5% | 1,090 |
| Kentucky | $95K | -6% | 950 |
| Alabama | $94K | -7% | 890 |
| Nevada | $94K | -7% | 840 |
| Florida | $93K | -7% | 4,760 |
| Kansas | $93K | -7% | 460 |
| North Dakota | $92K | -8% | 190 |
| Alaska | $92K | -9% | 530 |
| Missouri | $90K | -10% | 1,520 |
| Montana | $90K | -10% | N/A |
| Vermont | $90K | -11% | 170 |
| Pennsylvania | $89K | -11% | 3,120 |
| Idaho | $89K | -11% | N/A |
| Arizona | $89K | -11% | 1,560 |
| Ohio | $85K | -15% | 2,100 |
| Mississippi | $85K | -15% | 1,170 |
| New Mexico | $84K | -17% | 600 |
| Wyoming | $82K | -19% | 60 |
| North Carolina | $81K | -19% | 4,120 |
| Iowa | $79K | -21% | 950 |
| New Hampshire | $74K | -26% | N/A |
| Illinois | $73K | -28% | 1,280 |
| Michigan | $66K | -34% | 4,400 |
| West Virginia | $65K | -35% | 140 |
| South Dakota | $58K | -42% | 70 |
Showing 1–10 of 46 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track computer programmers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Santa Rosa-Petaluma numbers change.
Related careers in Technology
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a computer programmer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Santa Rosa-Petaluma?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $108K, rent takes 43.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,827/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $2,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for computer programmers in Santa Rosa-Petaluma?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new computer programmers typically earn — is $68K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,449/month. At HUD’s $2,827/month FMR, rent would take 64% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is computer programmer a high-paying job in Santa Rosa-Petaluma?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $108K locally vs. $100K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Santa Rosa-Petaluma compare to the national average for computer programmers?
Santa Rosa-Petaluma pays $108K median vs. the U.S. average of $100K — that’s +8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 107.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $100K — below the national median.
How much do computer programmers make in Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA?
The median is $108,060 a year, that works out to about $52 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $67,520, and experienced computer programmers can clear $153,750. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $108K enough to live in Santa Rosa-Petaluma?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,518/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,827/month, which eats 43.4% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a computer programmers salary go in Santa Rosa-Petaluma?
Santa Rosa-Petaluma has a Regional Price Parity of 107.78 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median computer programmers salary is worth about $100,260 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do computer programmers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.