Senior Software Engineer salary in Los Angeles, CA
Based on 898 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III 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 | $151,549 |
| 25th | $154,457 |
| 50th (median) | $159,946 |
| 75th | $177,300 |
| 90th | $198,049 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $123,224 | $115,000 | $135,000 | 1,182 |
| FY2021 | $127,693 | $121,160 | $140,000 | 989 |
| FY2022 | $130,000 | $119,577 | $150,000 | 1,045 |
| FY2023 | $138,600 | $124,987 | $157,500 | 705 |
| FY2024 | $155,000 | $149,309 | $173,000 | 605 |
| FY2025 | $157,895 | $151,549 | $175,144 | 568 |
| FY2026 | $160,431 | $157,123 | $180,710 | 330 |
Cost of living
Los Angeles's median senior Software Engineer salary of $159,946 is worth about $140,800 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 $159,946, 1% 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 | $162,600 | 61 |
| Capgemini America | $154,654 | 39 |
| Rivian | $189,180 | 31 |
| Snap | $151,549 | 28 |
| ADP | $151,549 | 21 |
| $200,000 | 18 | |
| EY | $185,850 | 16 |
| ServiceTitan | $169,750 | 16 |
| Panasonic Avionics | $161,927 | 14 |
| Riot Games | $157,123 | 14 |
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.