Entry-level Civil Engineer salary in Los Angeles, CA
Based on 132 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Irvine, Costa Mesa, Pasadena, Santa Ana, Orange.
Also listed as: Structural Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $71,510 |
| 25th | $75,909 |
| 50th (median) | $80,000 |
| 75th | $88,188 |
| 90th | $96,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $67,000 | $66,435 | $75,000 | 145 |
| FY2021 | $72,000 | $64,688 | $79,739 | 109 |
| FY2022 | $75,920 | $70,360 | $81,986 | 99 |
| FY2023 | $79,500 | $72,322 | $85,342 | 70 |
| FY2024 | $77,500 | $72,322 | $83,278 | 76 |
| FY2025 | $78,900 | $71,510 | $86,876 | 86 |
| FY2026 | $83,231 | $76,211 | $89,850 | 46 |
Cost of living
Los Angeles's median entry-level Civil Engineer salary of $80,000 is worth about $70,400 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Los Angeles = 113.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Civil Engineers in the Los Angeles, CA area earned a median of $108,640 in May 2025 (16,340 employed). The H-1B median here is $80,000, 26% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Exbon Development | too few | 9 |
| Saiful Bouquet Consulting Structural Engineers | too few | 9 |
| John A. Martin Structural Engineers | too few | 3 |
| John Labib Structural Engineers | too few | 3 |
| True North Compliance Services | too few | 3 |
| Walter P. Moore and Associates | too few | 3 |
| WSP | too few | 2 |
| Arup | too few | 2 |
| B&B Associates | too few | 2 |
| Burke Structural Engineers P.c. | too few | 2 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $80,000 | 132 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $104,000 | 136 |
| Senior · Level III | $118,560 | 69 |
| Expert · Level IV | $149,675 | 48 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $71,510 | $80,000 | 132 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $96,470 | $104,000 | 136 |
| Senior · Level III | $116,709 | $118,560 | 69 |
| Expert · Level IV | $136,968 | $149,675 | 48 |
The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.