Entry-level Software Engineer salary in Los Angeles, CA
Based on 717 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Irvine, Santa Monica, Culver City, El Segundo, Pasadena.
Also listed as: Software Developer, Software Development Engineer, SDE
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $102,232 |
| 25th | $102,357 |
| 50th (median) | $105,000 |
| 75th | $125,000 |
| 90th | $142,044 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $81,000 | $73,000 | $93,683 | 440 |
| FY2021 | $88,454 | $78,125 | $116,418 | 510 |
| FY2022 | $80,122 | $75,462 | $100,000 | 432 |
| FY2023 | $93,330 | $80,200 | $105,000 | 439 |
| FY2024 | $95,677 | $93,330 | $110,188 | 498 |
| FY2025 | $104,350 | $102,357 | $124,950 | 438 |
| FY2026 | $107,640 | $102,232 | $127,700 | 279 |
Cost of living
Los Angeles's median entry-level Software Engineer salary of $105,000 is worth about $92,500 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Los Angeles = 113.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Developers in the Los Angeles, CA area earned a median of $160,920 in May 2025 (55,540 employed). The H-1B median here is $105,000, 35% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $129,000 | 97 |
| Audible | $131,200 | 12 |
| Activision Publishing | $118,657 | 10 |
| Prelude Systems | $107,640 | 10 |
| TikTok | too few | 9 |
| Blizzard Entertainment | too few | 7 |
| Western Digital Technologies | too few | 7 |
| Rivian | too few | 6 |
| Panasonic Avionics | too few | 6 |
| Tinder | too few | 6 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $105,000 | 717 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $132,120 | 1,635 |
| Senior · Level III | $159,946 | 898 |
| Expert · Level IV | $187,431 | 822 |
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 | $102,357 | $105,000 | 717 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $129,667 | $132,120 | 1,635 |
| Senior · Level III | $151,549 | $159,946 | 898 |
| Expert · Level IV | $184,558 | $187,431 | 822 |
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.