Entry-level Engineering Director salary in Los Angeles, CA
Based on 32 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I 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 | $128,606 |
| 25th | $135,836 |
| 50th (median) | $139,050 |
| 75th | $153,266 |
| 90th | $168,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $122,550 | $112,736 | $135,668 | 18 |
| FY2021 | $133,157 | $121,800 | $144,411 | 15 |
| FY2022 | $124,800 | $123,698 | $132,904 | 19 |
| FY2023 | $120,000 | $118,643 | $131,250 | 16 |
| FY2024 | $121,000 | $118,435 | $130,000 | 13 |
| FY2025 | $140,425 | $128,606 | $153,266 | 20 |
| FY2026 | $137,000 | $136,779 | $147,300 | 12 |
Cost of living
Los Angeles's median entry-level Engineering Director salary of $139,050 is worth about $122,400 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 $139,050, 27% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced Bionics | too few | 3 |
| Operation Technology | too few | 3 |
| Rivian | too few | 2 |
| Covidien | too few | 2 |
| NVIDIA | too few | 2 |
| TAE Technologies | 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 | $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.