Expert Data 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, El Segundo, Woodland Hills, Culver City, Burbank.
Also listed as: Database Architect, Data Architect
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $171,221 |
| 25th | $176,000 |
| 50th (median) | $183,926 |
| 75th | $197,602 |
| 90th | $219,462 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 7 |
| FY2021 | – | – | – | 9 |
| FY2022 | $148,622 | $123,301 | $172,475 | 38 |
| FY2023 | $165,000 | $137,500 | $183,719 | 35 |
| FY2024 | $183,000 | $174,969 | $197,750 | 24 |
| FY2025 | $183,851 | $175,700 | $198,016 | 28 |
| FY2026 | $184,301 | $183,851 | $192,465 | 20 |
Cost of living
Los Angeles's median expert Data Engineer salary of $183,926 is worth about $162,000 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Los Angeles = 113.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Database Architects in the Los Angeles, CA area earned a median of $155,740 in May 2025 (1,530 employed). The H-1B median here is $183,926, 18% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| University of California, Los Angeles | too few | 5 |
| Directv | too few | 3 |
| The University of Southern California | too few | 3 |
| Meta | too few | 2 |
| Capital Group Companies Global | too few | 2 |
| DocuSign | too few | 2 |
| SADA Systems | too few | 2 |
| TRI Pointe Homes | 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 | $100,000 | 19 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $125,300 | 57 |
| Senior · Level III | $155,788 | 27 |
| Expert · Level IV | $183,926 | 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 | $85,571 | $100,000 | 19 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $124,800 | $125,300 | 57 |
| Senior · Level III | $151,091 | $155,788 | 27 |
| Expert · Level IV | $183,851 | $183,926 | 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.