Engineering Director salary in Los Angeles, CA
Based on 157 certified H-1B filings in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Irvine, Long Beach, Brea, Pasadena, Gardena.
Also listed as: Architectural and Engineering Manager, Manager Hardware Engineering
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $137,000 |
| 25th | $158,600 |
| 50th (median) | $185,400 |
| 75th | $215,030 |
| 90th | $260,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $151,929 | $135,948 | $190,000 | 61 |
| FY2021 | $162,500 | $143,817 | $189,000 | 62 |
| FY2022 | $157,664 | $135,000 | $182,728 | 61 |
| FY2023 | $174,699 | $146,682 | $210,000 | 79 |
| FY2024 | $180,000 | $151,286 | $204,753 | 71 |
| FY2025 | $180,000 | $157,414 | $201,469 | 95 |
| FY2026 | $191,006 | $163,550 | $218,442 | 62 |
Cost of living
Los Angeles's median Engineering Director salary of $185,400 is worth about $163,300 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Los Angeles = 113.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Architectural and Engineering Managers in the Los Angeles, CA area earned a median of $190,900 in May 2025 (9,570 employed). The H-1B median here is $185,400, 3% 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
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Rivian | $192,775 | 14 |
| Panasonic Avionics | $190,000 | 11 |
| Ford | too few | 7 |
| Karma Automotive | too few | 7 |
| Medtronic | too few | 5 |
| Covidien | too few | 5 |
| Burns & McDonnell Western Enterprises | too few | 4 |
| Faraday & Future | too few | 4 |
| Lmi | too few | 4 |
| TAE Technologies | 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 | $139,050 | 32 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $170,831 | 44 |
| Senior · Level III | $195,520 | 37 |
| Expert · Level IV | $248,927 | 28 |
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 | $128,606 | $139,050 | 32 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $157,414 | $170,831 | 44 |
| Senior · Level III | $186,222 | $195,520 | 37 |
| Expert · Level IV | $218,442 | $248,927 | 28 |
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.