Senior Systems Engineer / Architect salary in Los Angeles, CA
Based on 443 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Irvine, El Segundo, Rosemead, Torrance, Culver City.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $109,782 |
| 25th | $109,782 |
| 50th (median) | $115,835 |
| 75th | $125,000 |
| 90th | $155,236 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $92,936 | $86,965 | $110,000 | 408 |
| FY2021 | $95,000 | $86,000 | $125,000 | 355 |
| FY2022 | $105,000 | $90,000 | $133,000 | 355 |
| FY2023 | $104,333 | $95,347 | $134,775 | 278 |
| FY2024 | $109,782 | $104,333 | $132,149 | 355 |
| FY2025 | $110,000 | $109,782 | $130,000 | 270 |
| FY2026 | $115,835 | $115,835 | $120,000 | 173 |
Cost of living
Los Angeles's median senior Systems Engineer / Architect salary of $115,835 is worth about $102,000 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Los Angeles = 113.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Computer Systems Engineers/Architects in the Los Angeles, CA area earned a median of $109,700 in May 2025 (20,060 employed). The H-1B median here is $115,835, 6% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Cognizant | $115,835 | 119 |
| Infosys | $115,835 | 62 |
| HCLTech | $121,117 | 25 |
| Tata Consultancy Services | $115,835 | 11 |
| Microsoft | too few | 9 |
| Amazon | too few | 7 |
| Snap | too few | 7 |
| Infinite Computer Solutions | too few | 6 |
| LTIMindtree | too few | 6 |
| Capgemini America | too few | 5 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $66,560 | 89 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $86,403 | 714 |
| Senior · Level III | $115,835 | 443 |
| Expert · Level IV | $150,000 | 460 |
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 | $52,395 | $66,560 | 89 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $86,403 | $86,403 | 714 |
| Senior · Level III | $109,782 | $115,835 | 443 |
| Expert · Level IV | $138,486 | $150,000 | 460 |
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.
