Economics Professor salary in Los Angeles, CA

Based on 29 certified H-1B filings in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Claremont, Pasadena, Northridge, Long Beach, Irvine.

Also listed as: Assistant Professor of Economics, Assistant Professor Economics

Median salary$125,688
Middle 50%$88.7k–$170k
vs. national median+14%comparison median $110,000
Filings29FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $65,133 and $252,656.
PercentileSalary
10th$87,506
25th$88,660
50th (median)$125,688
75th$170,000
90th$196,200

Salary by year

Median salary

$90k $130k $170k FY2020: median $124,000 (16 filings) FY2021: median $102,757 (11 filings) FY2022: median $100,860 (13 filings) FY2023: median $160,000 (11 filings) FY2025: median $103,500 (17 filings) FY2026: median $151,500 (12 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 16 filings FY20 FY2021: 11 filings FY21 FY2022: 13 filings FY22 FY2023: 11 filings FY23 FY2024: 8 filings FY24 FY2025: 17 filings FY25 FY2026: 12 filings FY26 17
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$124,000$91,275$181,50016
FY2021$102,757$86,830$147,80011
FY2022$100,860$95,200$114,00013
FY2023$160,000$107,750$191,20011
FY2024–––8
FY2025$103,500$88,660$129,69917
FY2026$151,500$123,252$175,60012

Cost of living

Los Angeles's median Economics Professor salary of $125,688 is worth about $110,700 at national average prices.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Los Angeles = 113.6).

Compared with all workers here

All Economics Teachers, Postsecondary in the Los Angeles, CA area earned a median of $137,740 in May 2025 (250 employed). The H-1B median here is $125,688, 9% lower.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.

Top employers filing

EmployerMedianFilings
The University of Southern California$88,66010
Loyola Marymount Universitytoo few6
University of California, Los Angelestoo few5
Claremont McKenna Collegetoo few2

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

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I $129,699 23
Mid-level · Level II too few 2
Senior · Level III – 0
Expert · Level IV – 0

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$88,660$129,69923

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.