Expert Civil Engineer salary in Los Angeles, CA
Based on 48 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV 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 | $131,856 |
| 25th | $136,969 |
| 50th (median) | $149,675 |
| 75th | $156,312 |
| 90th | $177,760 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 6 |
| FY2021 | $143,500 | $135,699 | $154,080 | 12 |
| FY2022 | – | – | – | 6 |
| FY2023 | $135,000 | $132,505 | $144,201 | 22 |
| FY2024 | $138,226 | $131,040 | $150,000 | 22 |
| FY2025 | $147,160 | $132,000 | $155,480 | 21 |
| FY2026 | $150,000 | $137,000 | $160,475 | 27 |
Cost of living
Los Angeles's median expert Civil Engineer salary of $149,675 is worth about $131,800 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 $149,675, 38% higher.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| HDR Engineering | too few | 4 |
| Ankura Consulting Group | too few | 2 |
| Jacobs Project Management Company | too few | 2 |
| Quest Project Controls | too few | 2 |
| RailPros | too few | 2 |
| Secretariat Advisors | too few | 2 |
| Simpson Gumpertz & Heger | too few | 2 |
| Stantec Consulting Services | too few | 2 |
| Twining Consulting | 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.