Software Developers pay range in Los Angeles
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $98,270 a year or less, while the top 10% make $223,150 or more. The middle half of software developers in Los Angeles earn between $127,530 and $191,540.
- $98K10th
- $128K25th
- $161KMedian
- $192K75th
- $223K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $161,900 | $13,492 | $77.84 |
| Median | $160,920 | $13,410 | $77.37 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $127,530 | $10,628 | $61.31 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $191,540 | $15,962 | $92.09 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Software Developers pay in Los Angeles vs. California and the U.S.
Software developers in Los Angeles earn 13% less than the California average ($186,770) and 9% more than the U.S. average ($148,100). At the median the gap is +18% against the U.S. median of $135,980.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $161,900 | $160,920 | $98,270 | $223,150 | 55,540 |
| California | $186,770 | $174,410 | $105,060 | $272,670 | 284,390 |
| United States | $148,100 | $135,980 | $82,460 | $214,670 | 1,687,890 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Software Developers salary after taxes in Los Angeles
On the average salary of $161,900, a single filer in Los Angeles takes home about $110,960 a year, or $9,247 a month and $4,268 every two weeks. Taxes take 31% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Los Angeles a good place for software developers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Los Angeles area are 14% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 113.6), so the average $161,900 buys what about $142,560 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Los Angeles ($55,850). A typical home costs $968,608, or 6.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Software Developers salary in other California cities
Los Angeles ranks 5th of 24 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($221,710).
- San Jose$221,710
- San Francisco$193,430
- Oxnard$174,020
- San Diego$163,300
- Los Angeles$161,900
- Santa Maria$158,220
- San Luis Obispo$155,770
- Napa$154,740
- Santa Cruz$153,930
- Bakersfield$153,610
Highest-paying cities for software developers
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($221,710).
- San Jose, CA$221,710
- San Francisco, CA$193,430
- Seattle, WA$174,920
- Oxnard, CA$174,020
- Boulder, CO$166,480
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Software Developers salary in Los Angeles: questions
How much do software developers make an hour in Los Angeles?
$77.84 an hour on average, and $77.37 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level software developers salary in Los Angeles?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $98,270 a year and the 25th percentile is $127,530, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the software developers take-home pay in Los Angeles?
About $110,960 a year ($9,247 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $161,900. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do software developers earn more in Los Angeles than elsewhere?
The average here is 9% more than the U.S. average for this job ($148,100).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 15-1252; area Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA (31080). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.9%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.82, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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