Validation Engineer salary in Riverside, CA
Based on 17 certified H-1B filings in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Mountain Pass, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, Chino, Fontana.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $71,066 |
| 25th | $109,325 |
| 50th (median) | $133,900 |
| 75th | $140,000 |
| 90th | $141,330 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $75,826 | $64,140 | $80,800 | 12 |
| FY2021 | $84,240 | $72,800 | $88,150 | 16 |
| FY2022 | – | – | – | 9 |
| FY2023 | – | – | – | 4 |
| FY2024 | – | – | – | 7 |
| FY2025 | – | – | – | 7 |
| FY2026 | $136,950 | $123,779 | $140,000 | 10 |
Cost of living
Riverside's median Validation Engineer salary of $133,900 is worth about $125,800 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Riverside = 106.4).
Compared with all workers here
All Validation Engineers in the Riverside, CA area earned a median of $100,110 in May 2025 (1,200 employed). The H-1B median here is $133,900, 34% 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 | too few | 3 |
| MP Mine Operations | 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 | – | 0 |
| Mid-level · Level II | – | 0 |
| Senior · Level III | too few | 3 |
| Expert · Level IV | too few | 3 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.