Expert Mechanical Engineer salary in Los Angeles, CA
Based on 182 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Irvine, Long Beach, Tustin, Carson, Garden Grove.
Also listed as: Mechanical Design Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $136,989 |
| 25th | $142,355 |
| 50th (median) | $155,000 |
| 75th | $180,000 |
| 90th | $208,619 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $141,000 | $126,444 | $158,994 | 48 |
| FY2021 | $140,000 | $126,464 | $155,000 | 70 |
| FY2022 | $135,000 | $127,691 | $151,125 | 76 |
| FY2023 | $145,000 | $133,037 | $164,320 | 101 |
| FY2024 | $150,000 | $136,992 | $163,583 | 58 |
| FY2025 | $150,000 | $136,989 | $178,871 | 84 |
| FY2026 | $160,000 | $145,000 | $180,000 | 98 |
Cost of living
Los Angeles's median expert Mechanical Engineer salary of $155,000 is worth about $136,500 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Los Angeles = 113.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Mechanical Engineers in the Los Angeles, CA area earned a median of $123,900 in May 2025 (8,780 employed). The H-1B median here is $155,000, 25% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Ford | $154,800 | 22 |
| Rivian | $202,000 | 20 |
| Harbinger Motors | $143,678 | 18 |
| Karma Automotive | too few | 6 |
| Tesla | too few | 6 |
| Apple | too few | 5 |
| GrayMatter Robotics | too few | 5 |
| Arc Boat Company | too few | 4 |
| Arup | too few | 4 |
| Biosense Webster | 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 | $81,884 | 127 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $106,164 | 245 |
| Senior · Level III | $142,500 | 282 |
| Expert · Level IV | $155,000 | 182 |
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 | $77,314 | $81,884 | 127 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $98,987 | $106,164 | 245 |
| Senior · Level III | $117,104 | $142,500 | 282 |
| Expert · Level IV | $142,355 | $155,000 | 182 |
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.