Entry-level Data Scientist salary in Los Angeles, CA
Based on 409 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Irvine, Culver City, Santa Monica, El Segundo, Pasadena.
Also listed as: Machine Learning Scientist
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $69,160 |
| 25th | $70,000 |
| 50th (median) | $74,371 |
| 75th | $89,357 |
| 90th | $115,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $82,000 | $60,000 | $85,625 | 28 |
| FY2021 | $72,946 | $54,654 | $83,931 | 42 |
| FY2022 | $73,500 | $51,891 | $109,250 | 46 |
| FY2023 | $77,959 | $69,782 | $90,000 | 164 |
| FY2024 | $70,000 | $66,602 | $84,999 | 181 |
| FY2025 | $72,000 | $69,160 | $83,000 | 254 |
| FY2026 | $80,000 | $73,174 | $103,261 | 155 |
Cost of living
Los Angeles's median entry-level Data Scientist salary of $74,371 is worth about $65,500 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Los Angeles = 113.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Data Scientists in the Los Angeles, CA area earned a median of $129,740 in May 2025 (9,850 employed). The H-1B median here is $74,371, 43% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $84,100 | 17 |
| Deloitte | too few | 9 |
| The University of Southern California | too few | 9 |
| TikTok | too few | 5 |
| TWG Resources | too few | 5 |
| American Honda Motor | too few | 4 |
| Cedars-Sinai Medical Center | too few | 4 |
| GuruNanda | too few | 4 |
| Niagara Bottling | too few | 4 |
| Populus Group | too few | 4 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $74,371 | 409 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $106,863 | 526 |
| Senior · Level III | $142,343 | 292 |
| Expert · Level IV | $169,003 | 262 |
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 | $69,160 | $74,371 | 409 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $101,712 | $106,863 | 526 |
| Senior · Level III | $130,270 | $142,343 | 292 |
| Expert · Level IV | $158,808 | $169,003 | 262 |
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.