Expert Software Engineer salary in Los Angeles, CA
Based on 822 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV 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 | $176,134 |
| 25th | $184,558 |
| 50th (median) | $187,431 |
| 75th | $210,000 |
| 90th | $240,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $145,000 | $135,900 | $160,000 | 655 |
| FY2021 | $150,000 | $142,667 | $166,000 | 653 |
| FY2022 | $155,000 | $140,030 | $175,000 | 928 |
| FY2023 | $165,000 | $148,984 | $185,000 | 588 |
| FY2024 | $186,075 | $177,029 | $212,719 | 308 |
| FY2025 | $184,891 | $176,134 | $206,816 | 458 |
| FY2026 | $190,000 | $184,558 | $213,512 | 364 |
Cost of living
Los Angeles's median expert Software Engineer salary of $187,431 is worth about $165,000 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 $187,431, 16% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Snap | $184,558 | 39 |
| ServiceTitan | $211,050 | 26 |
| Capital Group Companies Global | $195,918 | 24 |
| Ingram Micro | $184,558 | 24 |
| Riot Games | $180,346 | 24 |
| Deloitte | $184,558 | 23 |
| Hulu | $198,233 | 17 |
| Whatnot | $240,000 | 15 |
| Amazon | $195,975 | 14 |
| Apple | $176,134 | 13 |
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.