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Software Engineer
Los Angeles
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Software Engineer Salary and Equity in Los Angeles 2026

How much does a Software Engineer expect to make at Los Angeles-based startups? The average expected salary for Software Engineers in Los Angeles-based startups is 150k per year, with a range from 90k to 300k. These amounts were gathered from Wellfound self-reported data and represent the median salary range. The salary range for Software Engineers in Los Angeles startups varies depending on factors such as industry, experience, skills, and startup stage.

149.7k

Average Salary

4 years

Average years of experience

Hiring data hero image

Salary

By quarter
The average salary for a Software Engineer in Los Angeles is $149,708, which is 31.2% higher than the average Los Angeles startup salary of$114,125. Software Engineer salaries in Los Angeles are based on exclusive Wellfound data. All data is updated on a weekly basis. Factors that may influence salary include: years of experience, title, size of company, skill-set, and industry.

Top of market

$214,708/yr

Range $187k - $300k

Average

$149,708/yr

Range $115k - $170k

Below Average

$111,917/yr

Range $90k - $124k


Industries

The highest average salary a Software Engineer in Los Angeles can get in Computers, that is $261,000. This pay is 19.1% higher than the average Software Engineer salary in Los Angeles, which is $219,100. The highest-paying industries in 2023 are: Computers (avg $261,000 per year), Development Platforms (avg $220,000 per year), Games (avg $220,000 per year).

Tech Stack

The highest average salary a Software Engineer in Los Angeles can get with Kubernetes, that is $190,000. This pay is 66.5% higher than the average salary in Los Angeles startups, which is $114,125. Salary range for specific skills will vary based on the supply and demand in the current market.
The top-paying Software Engineer skills in Los Angeles of 2026 are:
  • 1. Kubernetes

    $190k

  • 2. Swift

    $187.5k

  • 3. DynamoDB

    $175k

  • 4. Android

    $175k

  • 5. PyTorch

    $175k

  • 6. Nest.Js

    $170k

  • 7. TypeScript

    $157k

  • 8. C++

    $155k

  • 9. Firebase

    $147.5k

  • 10. React Native

    $140k


Years of experience

Below Average

Average

Top of Market

The highest average salary a Software Engineer in Los Angeles can get with 10+ years of experience, that is $157,000. This pay is 37.6% higher than the average salary in Los Angeles startups, which is $114,125. The salary range varies with years of experience and depends on other factors such as skill set, size of company, and industry.