Mid-level Software Engineer salary in Los Angeles, CA
Based on 1,635 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level II 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 | $126,942 |
| 25th | $129,667 |
| 50th (median) | $132,120 |
| 75th | $152,175 |
| 90th | $172,901 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $99,632 | $93,891 | $110,000 | 2,473 |
| FY2021 | $100,000 | $99,632 | $116,531 | 1,891 |
| FY2022 | $102,544 | $96,907 | $123,000 | 1,771 |
| FY2023 | $114,276 | $102,544 | $129,000 | 1,348 |
| FY2024 | $127,400 | $121,222 | $146,500 | 1,076 |
| FY2025 | $131,040 | $126,942 | $150,000 | 970 |
| FY2026 | $134,983 | $129,667 | $157,123 | 665 |
Cost of living
Los Angeles's median mid-level Software Engineer salary of $132,120 is worth about $116,300 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 $132,120, 18% 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 | $155,000 | 163 |
| $165,000 | 106 | |
| UST | $129,667 | 33 |
| LTIMindtree | $129,667 | 23 |
| EY | $157,261 | 20 |
| Capgemini America | $130,870 | 20 |
| Microsoft | $164,698 | 20 |
| Deloitte | $129,667 | 19 |
| TikTok | $171,000 | 17 |
| Farmers Group | $142,647 | 16 |
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.