Senior Systems Engineer / Architect salary in Riverside, CA

Based on 34 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Ontario, Redlands, Rancho Cucamonga, Corona, Chino.

Median salary$103,500
Middle 50%$101.3k–$129.3k
vs. all levels here−4%comparison median $107,500
Filings34FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $87,984 and $172,333.
PercentileSalary
10th$91,134
25th$101,296
50th (median)$103,500
75th$129,250
90th$144,741

Salary by year

Median salary

$80k $100k $120k FY2020: median $92,600 (15 filings) FY2022: median $89,574 (16 filings) FY2023: median $93,309 (35 filings) FY2024: median $96,500 (34 filings) FY2025: median $112,965 (21 filings) FY2026: median $101,296 (13 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 15 filings FY20 FY2021: 7 filings FY21 FY2022: 16 filings FY22 FY2023: 35 filings FY23 FY2024: 34 filings FY24 FY2025: 21 filings FY25 FY2026: 13 filings FY26 35
Shaded: FY2025–FY2026, the years behind the figures above. Median shown for years with at least 10 filings. FY2026 covers Q1–Q3 only.
Show as table
Fiscal yearMedianP25P75Filings
FY2020$92,600$90,720$97,22515
FY2021–––7
FY2022$89,574$81,349$102,24716
FY2023$93,309$83,100$115,00035
FY2024$96,500$88,250$119,20534
FY2025$112,965$100,000$133,61221
FY2026$101,296$101,296$115,35713

Cost of living

Riverside's median senior Systems Engineer / Architect salary of $103,500 is worth about $97,200 at national average prices.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Riverside = 106.4).

Compared with all workers here

All Computer Systems Engineers/Architects in the Riverside, CA area earned a median of $96,890 in May 2025 (2,530 employed). The H-1B median here is $103,500, 7% 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

EmployerMedianFilings
Cognizanttoo few8
Optumtoo few3

Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I $68,000 19
Mid-level · Level II $77,064 53
Senior · Level III $103,500 34
Expert · Level IV $147,305 62

Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.

Minimum H-1B salary by level

Wage levelPrevailing wage (most common)Median offered salaryFilings
Entry-level · Level I$52,832$68,00019
Mid-level · Level II$65,915$77,06453
Senior · Level III$101,296$103,50034
Expert · Level IV$110,053$147,30562

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.