Research Scientist (Computer Science) salary in Los Angeles, CA
Based on 199 certified H-1B filings in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Pasadena, Irvine, Santa Monica, Culver City, Playa Vista.
Also listed as: Machine Learning Engineer, AI Researcher
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $108,646 |
| 25th | $146,000 |
| 50th (median) | $165,838 |
| 75th | $192,771 |
| 90th | $227,880 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $130,811 | $103,500 | $155,000 | 100 |
| FY2021 | $130,811 | $109,762 | $153,000 | 79 |
| FY2022 | $140,000 | $117,250 | $160,000 | 101 |
| FY2023 | $154,688 | $110,390 | $174,743 | 106 |
| FY2024 | $165,000 | $134,651 | $175,000 | 86 |
| FY2025 | $165,000 | $138,750 | $197,142 | 96 |
| FY2026 | $167,100 | $153,472 | $185,000 | 103 |
Cost of living
Los Angeles's median Research Scientist (Computer Science) salary of $165,838 is worth about $146,000 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Los Angeles = 113.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Computer and Information Research Scientists in the Los Angeles, CA area earned a median of $155,960 in May 2025 (940 employed). The H-1B median here is $165,838, 6% higher.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $165,000 | 87 |
| $189,000 | 15 | |
| Cedars-Sinai Medical Center | too few | 5 |
| The University of Southern California | too few | 5 |
| Netflix | too few | 4 |
| Cognosphere | too few | 4 |
| Flawless Ai | too few | 4 |
| Genies | too few | 4 |
| Microsoft | too few | 3 |
| Spotify | too few | 3 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $146,000 | 39 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $165,000 | 81 |
| Senior · Level III | $167,300 | 42 |
| Expert · Level IV | $209,082 | 33 |
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 | $87,797 | $146,000 | 39 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $119,870 | $165,000 | 81 |
| Senior · Level III | $151,944 | $167,300 | 42 |
| Expert · Level IV | $184,018 | $209,082 | 33 |
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.