Software Engineer pay in Los Angeles, by the numbers
Monthly take-home on that median is roughly US$11,100; local prices sit at COL 100, so its buying power is about US$160,900.
Software Engineer pay in Los Angeles: national and in-state ranking
Directly above Los Angeles is San Diego (US$163,270); directly below is Portland (US$156,000). The full range runs from US$128,430 in San Antonio to US$213,110 in San Jose.
CA has 4 metros with observed figures for this role. Their average is US$181,000, and Los Angeles comes 4th, -11% against it; elsewhere in the state: San Diego (US$163,270), San Jose (US$213,110) and San Francisco (US$186,640).
Cost of living and take-home in Los Angeles
With a COL index of 100, there is little difference between headline pay and price-adjusted pay (US$160,900).
Its place holds after a cost-of-living adjustment — 7th of 21 either way.
Run the median through our simplified tax model (17% effective) and about US$11,100 lands each month. Budget US$1,650 for a modeled 1-bedroom — 15% of pay — and other modeled costs, and roughly US$7,630 remains.
Other CA options for software engineers
A software engineer moving from Los Angeles to San Diego (also in CA) would see the median rise 1% to US$163,270, with US$150 more left over monthly in our model.
San Jose (also in CA) pays US$213,110, 32% more than Los Angeles; modeled monthly leftover is US$3,300 higher.
A software engineer moving from Los Angeles to New York (similar cost level, COL 100) would see the median rise 4% to US$166,830, with US$380 more left over monthly in our model.
Other Los Angeles jobs compared with software engineer
Software Engineer ranks 2nd of 9 occupations with observed Los Angeles data. Lawyer leads the city at US$194,410.
Closest neighbours in the Los Angeles list: Registered Nurse at US$135,560 (-16%).
Where Los Angeles stands for junior and senior software engineers
The Los Angeles market rewards seniority more than entry: the 90th percentile (US$223,150) ranks 6th of 21, but the 10th (US$98,270) only 7th.
For the top 10% of earners, San Jose leads with US$289,150 at the 90th percentile, +30% against Los Angeles.
Spread between low and high software engineer pay in Los Angeles
The 90th percentile (US$223,150) is 2.3× the 10th (US$98,270), a wide band that usually reflects different seniority levels and employer types under one title.