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2026 Salary Data — Los Angeles, CA
Updated April 28, 2026

AI Engineer Salary in Los Angeles: $237K Median

AI Engineers in Los Angeles, CA earn between $154K and $410K per year.

That's +28% above the US national median of $185,000 for this role.

Quick Answer

As of April 2026, the median AI Engineer salary in Los Angeles, CA is $236,800 per year — +28% above the US national median of $185,000. Salaries range from $153,920 (entry, 25th percentile) to $409,600 (90th percentile). AI Engineers in Los Angeles earned approximately $38,194 in 2025, representing 520.0% year-over-year growth.

Median
$236,800
+520.0% YoY · $19,733/mo
Entry
$184,704
0–2 years
Experienced
$312,576
5+ years
Top 10%
$409,600
Senior/lead
AI Engineer Salary — Los Angeles vs Nearby
Los Angeles
$237K
San Diego
$218K
+8% vs Los Angeles
San Francisco
$287K
-17% vs Los Angeles
Fresno
$176K
+35% vs Los Angeles

Free ATS scan · Los Angeles employers · Results in 60 seconds

About AI Engineers in Los Angeles

AI engineers specialize in building, fine-tuning, and deploying machine learning and large language model systems. They focus on LLMs, RAG pipelines, agents, and production AI infrastructure.

Core Responsibilities

  • Build and fine-tune LLM applications
  • Design RAG and agent architectures
  • Deploy AI systems to production
  • Evaluate model performance and safety
  • Optimize inference cost and latency

Education & Certifications

Typical path: Master's or PhD preferred (Bachelor's with strong AI portfolio acceptable)

In-demand certifications

TensorFlow DeveloperAWS ML SpecialtyGoogle Cloud ML EngineerNVIDIA Deep Learning Institute

Los Angeles Job Market

Entertainment capital with growing tech sector ("Silicon Beach") and major aerospace industry.

Population
3979K
Cost of Living
173
vs 100 US avg
Unemployment
5.1%
Median Home
$950K

Top Industries in Los Angeles

EntertainmentAerospaceTechHealthcareTourism

Top Employers Hiring AI Engineers

Major employers active in Los Angeles or hiring remotely from this metro.

OpenAI
Anthropic
Google DeepMind
Meta AI
Microsoft Research
NVIDIA
Cohere
Mistral AI

All major employers use ATS software.

Workday, Greenhouse, Taleo, and iCIMS auto-screen 75% of resumes before a human ever sees them. Scan your resume free to see your match rate.

2026 Hot Skills & Resume Keywords

Skills that command salary premiums and pass ATS keyword filters.

Hottest 2026 Skills

These appear in the highest-paying AI Engineer listings.

LLMsRAGfine-tuningvector databasestransformersLangChain/LlamaIndexPyTorchagentic systems

ATS Resume Keywords

Include these naturally throughout your resume.

LLMsPyTorchRAGfine-tuningtransformersvector databasesLangChainPythonCUDAprompt engineering
Career Outlook
+26% Growth Projected (2024-2034)

AI engineer roles are among the fastest-growing in tech, projected to grow 26%+ through 2034. Frontier labs paying $400K+ for senior LLM specialists in 2026.

AI Engineer Salary Breakdown — Los Angeles

PeriodEntry (25th)Median (50th)Top (90th)
Annual$153,920$236,800$409,600
Monthly$12,827$19,733$34,133
Weekly$2,960$4,554$7,877
Hourly$74$114$197

Based on 2080 working hours/year. Local figures derived from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics national median ($185,000) adjusted for Los Angeles's cost-of-living multiplier (1.28×, sourced from BEA Regional Price Parities).

AI Engineer Take-Home Pay in Los Angeles

After federal, state and FICA taxes — single filer, standard deduction.

Net Annual Take-Home
$161,257.2
Per month$13,438
Biweekly paycheck$6,202
Effective tax rate31.9%

Tax Breakdown on $236,800

Gross salary$236,800
Federal income tax−$48,167
California state tax−$13,024
FICA (Social Security + Medicare)−$14,351.8
Take-home (net)$161,257.2

Estimates assume single filer, standard deduction ($14,600 for 2026), no 401(k)/HSA/dependents. Actual take-home varies with deductions, dependents, and benefits elections. Not tax advice.

AI Engineer Salary by Experience — Los Angeles

Career-stage progression for AI Engineers in Los Angeles.

ExperienceAnnual Salary
0–1 yr$169,928
2–3 yr$184,704
4–6 yr$248,640
7–10 yr$312,576
11–15 yr$368,840
15+ yr$361,088

Curve derived from BLS percentile data adjusted for Los Angeles's 1.28× cost-of-living multiplier. Highlighted row = 7–10 year experienced level.

Year-Over-Year Trend

+520.0% vs 2025

2025 median:$38,194
2026 median:$236,800
Change:+$198,606

Technology sector growth driven by demand for LLMs and RAG.

Is This A Good Salary?

Excellent

Adjusted for local cost of living, this salary delivers top-tier real purchasing power - well above what the same nominal pay would buy in most US metros. Strong savings, home-buying, and discretionary spending are all realistic.

COL-Adjusted Purchasing Power
$136,879
Difficult on the median - the nominal salary masks how little real purchasing power remains after rent, taxes, and basic costs.

How to Negotiate Your AI Engineer Salary in Los Angeles

Walk-away anchor: $205,913 (offers below this are below market for Los Angeles).

Leverage Points

  • Reference levels.fyi total compensation data for your level (L4/L5/etc.) at comparable companies
  • Quantify recent shipped impact: latency reduced, revenue driven, on-call incidents resolved
  • Hold a competing offer (or credible interview pipeline) before the salary conversation
  • Highlight in-demand skill premiums: LLMs, Kubernetes, Rust, distributed systems

Beyond Base Salary, Negotiate

Sign-on bonus ($25K-$100K is standard at Big Tech)RSU refreshers and accelerated vesting cliffsRemote/hybrid flexibility and home-office stipendAnnual learning budget and conference allowanceSabbatical eligibility after 4-5 years

What To Say

"Based on levels.fyi data and what I'm seeing from comparable offers, total compensation for this level is closer to $X base plus equity. Can we close the gap on base or front-load the RSU grant?"

Anchor on $313K–$410K for experienced roles, citing Los Angeles market data and your specific LLMs/RAG expertise.

Live AI Engineer Jobs in Los Angeles

20 active listings — sourced from Adzuna, Greenhouse, Lever, USAJobs, and RemoteOK. Refreshed daily.

AI Workflow Engineer

Serotonin Inc Los Angeles today
$80K – $190Kvia adzuna

Associate Creative Director, Copy

Conscious Minds Los Angeles 1 day ago
$148K – $148Kvia adzuna

Recruiter & HR Manager

Guava Los Angeles 1 day ago
$126K – $126Kvia adzuna

Principal UX Designer, Prime Video Experience Design (PVXD)

Amazon Culver City 1 day ago
$256K – $256Kvia adzuna

AI Engineer / Data Scientist, AI Senior Associate

PwC Pico Heights 1 day ago
$171K – $171Kvia adzuna

AI Engineer / Data Scientist, AI Manager

PwC Pico Heights 1 day ago
$168K – $168Kvia adzuna

Sr Program Manager - AI Products

MiniMed Pico Heights 1 day ago
$198K – $198Kvia adzuna

Privacy and Security Technical Assurance, Risk, Compliance and Integrity

Google Pico Heights 1 day ago
$223K – $223Kvia adzuna

Software Engineer (Embedded)

Freeform Los Angeles 1 day ago
$115K – $145KFULL TIMEvia adzuna

AI Builder, Ring

Amazon Hawthorne 1 day ago
$174K – $174KFULL TIMEvia adzuna

Principal Software Engineer, AI Platform Engineering

Saviynt El Segundo 1 day ago
$220K – $220KFULL TIMEvia adzuna

Tech Lead, Web Core Product & Chrome Extension - Los Angeles, CA, USA

Speechify Los Angeles 1 day ago
$172K – $172Kvia adzuna

Tech Lead, Android Core Product - Los Angeles, CA, USA

Speechify Los Angeles 1 day ago
$190K – $190Kvia adzuna

Senior Software Engineer, Windows/Desktop Applications - Los Angeles, CA, USA

Speechify Los Angeles 1 day ago
$213K – $213Kvia adzuna

Data Science-Agentic AI

Syncreon Consulting Los Angeles 2 days ago
$97K – $97Kvia adzuna

Product Owner with Airtable

Prohires Palms 2 days ago
$66K – $66Kvia adzuna

Full Stack Software Engineer IV

RxBenefits Pico Heights 2 days ago
$144K – $144Kvia adzuna

Principal Technical Product Owner

MiniMed Pico Heights 2 days ago
$203K – $203Kvia adzuna

Knowledge Engineer Specialist

Accenture Culver City 2 days ago
$137K – $137Kvia adzuna

Product Owner with Airtable and Media and Entertainment

AmmaluIT Palms 2 days ago
$61K – $61Kvia adzuna

Listings via Adzuna API, Greenhouse, Lever public boards, USAJobs.gov, and RemoteOK. CVCraft does not host these jobs — clicking redirects to the source.

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AI Engineer Salary FAQ — Los Angeles

What is the average AI Engineer salary in Los Angeles, CA?
The average AI Engineer salary in Los Angeles is $236,800 per year as of April 2026 — $19,733/month, $4,554/week, or about $114/hour. Salaries range from $153,920 (entry, 25th percentile) up to $409,600 (experienced, 90th percentile). Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics adjusted for Los Angeles's cost-of-living multiplier (1.28×).
Is $236,800 a good AI Engineer salary in Los Angeles?
Excellent. Adjusted for local cost of living, this salary delivers top-tier real purchasing power - well above what the same nominal pay would buy in most US metros. Strong savings, home-buying, and discretionary spending are all realistic. Los Angeles's cost-of-living index is 173 (vs 100 nationally), giving $236,800 a real purchasing power of approximately $136,879 in national terms. Difficult on the median - the nominal salary masks how little real purchasing power remains after rent, taxes, and basic costs.
Can you live on $236,800 in Los Angeles?
Median pay is below HUD's low-income threshold for a family of four in some of these metros (notably San Francisco, where $104K qualifies as 'low income'). Raising a family on the median typically requires two earners, a long commute, or family help with housing. Spending 30% on rent is impossible at the median in this market - most workers spend 40-50% or take roommates well into their 30s. HUD classifies anything over 30% as 'cost-burdened' here. For Los Angeles specifically (median home price $950,000), a $236,800 salary supports a comfortable lifestyle.
Is $236,800 enough for a single person in Los Angeles?
A single adult in Los Angeles typically needs ~$77,850 for a comfortable lifestyle (housing, food, transport, healthcare, modest savings). A $236,800 salary is well above that threshold — a single person can live comfortably with significant savings room.
Is $236,800 enough for a couple in Los Angeles?
A couple (one earner) in Los Angeles typically needs ~$124,560 for a comfortable lifestyle. A $236,800 salary as the sole household income is sufficient — enabling moderate housing, savings, and discretionary spending. Two earners at $236,800 each ($473,600 household) provides solid middle-class comfort.
Is $236,800 enough for a family of 4 in Los Angeles?
A family of 4 (one earner) in Los Angeles typically needs ~$190,300 for a comfortable middle-class lifestyle (housing for 4, childcare/school, food, healthcare, transport, savings). A $236,800 salary as the sole household income is sufficient — a family of 4 can afford this metro on a single AI Engineer income with prudent budgeting. Childcare costs in Los Angeles typically run $26K-$48K per child per year.
What is the take-home pay for a AI Engineer in Los Angeles?
On a $236,800 AI Engineer salary in Los Angeles, CA, you take home approximately $161,257.2 per year ($13,438/month, $6,202 per biweekly paycheck) after taxes. Breakdown: federal $48,167, state $13,024, FICA $14,351.8. Effective tax rate: 31.9%. (Single filer, standard deduction, no other adjustments.)
How much do AI Engineers in Los Angeles earn compared to the US average?
AI Engineers in Los Angeles earn approximately 28% more than the US national median for this role ($185,000 nationally vs $236,800 in Los Angeles). However, Los Angeles's cost-of-living index of 173 means real purchasing power is approximately $136,879 when adjusted for local prices.
What does an entry-level AI Engineer earn in Los Angeles?
Entry-level AI Engineers in Los Angeles typically start at around $184,704 (0–2 years experience). With 5+ years, AI Engineers earn $312,576 or more. Top earners (90th percentile) reach $409,600+, typically at senior or lead levels with specialized skills.
Did AI Engineer salaries in Los Angeles increase in 2026?
Yes — AI Engineer salaries in Los Angeles grew approximately 520.0% year-over-year, from $38,194 in 2025 to $236,800 in 2026 (+$198,606). This reflects the broader Technology sector's compensation trend, driven by LLMs and RAG demand.
What's the job outlook for AI Engineers in Los Angeles?
AI engineer roles are among the fastest-growing in tech, projected to grow 26%+ through 2034. Frontier labs paying $400K+ for senior LLM specialists in 2026. Los Angeles's top industries include Entertainment, Aerospace, Tech, and the metro's current unemployment rate is 5.1% — steady demand for skilled workers.
What skills are most in demand for AI Engineers in 2026?
The hottest 2026 skills for AI Engineers are: LLMs, RAG, fine-tuning, vector databases, transformers, LangChain/LlamaIndex, PyTorch, agentic systems. ATS systems specifically scan for these keywords. Adding them to your resume — naturally and in context — significantly improves your match rate with employers in Los Angeles.
Who are the top employers hiring AI Engineers in Los Angeles?
Top employers hiring AI Engineers in or near Los Angeles include: OpenAI, Anthropic, Google DeepMind, Meta AI, Microsoft Research, NVIDIA. Most use ATS software (Workday, Greenhouse, Taleo, iCIMS) to screen resumes — meaning your resume must be ATS-optimized to even get a human reader.
How do I negotiate a higher AI Engineer salary in Los Angeles?
Based on levels.fyi data and what I'm seeing from comparable offers, total compensation for this level is closer to $X base plus equity. Can we close the gap on base or front-load the RSU grant? Key leverage points for Technology negotiations: Reference levels.fyi total compensation data for your level (L4/L5/etc.) at comparable companies; Quantify recent shipped impact: latency reduced, revenue driven, on-call incidents resolved; Hold a competing offer (or credible interview pipeline) before the salary conversation. Beyond base salary, negotiate for: Sign-on bonus ($25K-$100K is standard at Big Tech), RSU refreshers and accelerated vesting cliffs, Remote/hybrid flexibility and home-office stipend, Annual learning budget and conference allowance.
How can I increase my AI Engineer salary in Los Angeles?
Three highest-leverage moves: (1) Add 2026's hot skills (LLMs, RAG, fine-tuning) — they command 15-30% premiums. (2) Get a recognized certification (e.g., TensorFlow Developer or AWS ML Specialty). (3) Tailor your resume to each role's keywords — CVCraft's ATS scanner shows you exactly what's missing.
What education do I need to become a AI Engineer in Los Angeles?
Master's or PhD preferred (Bachelor's with strong AI portfolio acceptable) is the typical path. However, Los Angeles's competitive market increasingly values demonstrable skills, portfolios, and certifications alongside (or in place of) traditional degrees — particularly for Technology roles.

Methodology & Sources

AI Engineer salary figures for Los Angeles are computed by adjusting the BLS national median ($185,000) by Los Angeles's cost-of-living multiplier of 1.28× — a composite of regional wage data and price parities. Year-over-year change (520.0%) reflects the Technology sector's 2025-2026 wage growth per BLS Employment Cost Index trends. Last reviewed April 28, 2026.

Data Sources

Related Roles in Los Angeles

Machine Learning Engineer →Data Scientist →Software Engineer →Product Manager →Web Developer →DevOps Engineer →

AI Engineer Salary in Other Cities

San Diego, CA$218KSan Francisco, CA$287KSeattle, WA$244KWashington, DC$241KBoston, MA$241KFresno, CA$176KSacramento, CA$200KLong Beach, CA$222K

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