Software Engineer Jobs in Los Angeles, CA
Software engineers in Los Angeles earn a metro median near $161,000, and the work runs well beyond classic tech: games, streaming, studios, ad platforms and university research labs all hire here. Below are the current openings, followed by who is hiring, what it pays and how to break in.
Current software engineer Openings in Los Angeles, CA
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Software Engineer Work in Los Angeles
Los Angeles software jobs follow the region's industries. Entertainment is a major pull: streaming, studio and game companies hire engineers for playback, ad platforms, content pipelines and game clients, with offices spread from Culver City and the Westside to Glendale. Consumer apps and ad technology add a second cluster, and hardware and manufacturing startups hire engineers who can write code that runs machines, often with U.S. person requirements tied to export rules.
The universities are a quieter employer. USC and UCLA in Westwood post research software roles that pay less than big tech but come with university benefits. Many postings are hybrid, so where you live relative to the 405 and the 10 matters more here than in most metros.
Top Los Angeles Employers Hiring Software Engineers
These employers had software engineering roles in the Los Angeles area posted on their own career sites when this guide was checked:
- Snap Inc. - the company behind Snapchat and Specs AR glasses posts C++, platform and Lenses engineering roles in Los Angeles.
- Google - lists more than 20 Los Angeles software roles, including infrastructure work on its ads data products.
- Riot Games - the League of Legends and VALORANT studio hires client, platform and game engineers in Los Angeles.
- Netflix - posts software engineer, full stack and solutions roles in Los Angeles, including on its Ink team.
- Disney - Disney Entertainment and ESPN Product & Technology hires frontend and ad platform engineers in Glendale.
- University of Southern California - the Keck School of Medicine and other units hire software engineers for research and imaging systems.
Software Engineer Salaries in Los Angeles
- Entry level: about $98,000 to $128,000 a year for new graduates and early-career developers.
- Experienced: roughly $128,000 to $190,000 a year for mid-level engineers.
- Senior: $190,000 to $225,000 or more in base pay for senior and staff engineers, before bonus and equity.
These are estimates built from BLS 2025 wage data for the Los Angeles metro and the pay ranges California employers must post. Employer type moves pay the most: a recent Snap Level 3 posting listed $118,000 to $176,000 and a Riot senior role $161,500 to $227,000, while university research engineer roles start closer to $110,000. Large tech and entertainment companies usually add bonus and stock on top of base pay.
How to Become a Software Engineer in Los Angeles
Most employers ask for a bachelor's degree in computer science or a related field, though a strong portfolio can stand in at some companies. Local four-year routes include the computer science degrees at UCLA Samueli School of Engineering in Westwood, the USC Viterbi Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science, Cal State LA's BS in Computer Science and CSUN's BS in Computer Science in Northridge. Los Angeles Valley College offers an Associate of Science in Computer Science and a programming certificate, and Los Angeles Pierce College has programming associate degrees, both useful starts before transferring. California has no state license for software engineers; the Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists does not license software work, so you do not need one.
What the Job Involves
Software engineers design, write, test and maintain code for applications and systems. A typical day mixes writing features, reviewing teammates' code, fixing bugs found in testing or production, joining short planning meetings and documenting how things work. Senior engineers spend more time on system design, mentoring and decisions about tools and architecture.
Skills Employers Look For
- Fluency in at least one major language such as Python, Java, C++, Go or JavaScript
- Data structures, algorithms and system design
- Git, code review and automated testing
- Cloud platforms and containers
- Clear written and spoken communication on hybrid teams
- Domain knowledge such as video, ads, games or embedded systems
Career Path and Advancement
Most Los Angeles engineers start as junior or Level 3 engineers, move to senior after several years, and then choose between a staff or principal track and engineering management. Specialties pay well here: game engine and client work at the studios, streaming and ad platforms in Glendale and Culver City, and hardware-facing code at the manufacturing startups. Moving between entertainment, consumer apps and research is common and often how engineers raise pay.
Related Careers in Los Angeles
If software engineering interests you, these Los Angeles tech roles are close matches:
- Data Analyst Jobs
- Network Administrator Jobs
- IT Support Specialist Jobs
- Desktop Support Technician Jobs
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a license to work as a software engineer in Los Angeles?
No. California does not license software engineers, and the state engineering board's licensed disciplines do not include software. Employers judge you on your degree, experience and technical interviews instead.
How much do software engineers make in Los Angeles?
BLS 2025 data puts the Los Angeles metro median for software developers near $161,000 a year. Early-career engineers often start around $98,000 to $128,000, and senior engineers at large tech, game and streaming companies can pass $200,000 in base pay before bonus and equity.
Are Los Angeles software jobs remote or in the office?
Most of the Los Angeles postings checked for this guide are hybrid or on-site rather than fully remote. Hardware startups such as Freeform hire new graduates for fully on-site roles, so read each posting's work arrangement before you plan a commute across the 405.
Can I get a software engineer job in Los Angeles without a degree?
It is harder but possible. Some employers accept equivalent experience, and a community college associate degree plus a portfolio of real projects can get you interviews, especially for frontend and web roles. Research and university jobs at USC and UCLA usually require a degree.
Which industries hire the most software engineers in Los Angeles?
Among employers posting now, entertainment, streaming and game companies make up the largest group, followed by consumer apps and ad technology, universities, and hardware and manufacturing startups. Each values different specialties, so tailor your projects to the industry you want.
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