Network Engineer.
Los Angeles.
$156,000
median salary, 20% above the national average
$123,000 to $197,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
Orbyt estimates Network Engineer pay in Los Angeles at $156,000, within a range of $123,000 to $197,000. That is 20% above the national average. Los Angeles blends a thriving entertainment industry with a growing tech and startup ecosystem, often called Silicon Beach. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Network Engineer in Los Angeles, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $147,510 for Computer Network Architects (SOC 15-1241) in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metropolitan area, based on 3,500 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$90,880
25th percentile
$121,020
Median
$147,510
75th percentile
$174,410
90th percentile
$212,130
Workers surveyed
3,500
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Computer Network Architects (SOC 15-1241) rather than Network Engineer specifically. The Los Angelesrange at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 15-1241Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $141,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$101,000
to $125,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$133,000
to $164,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$172,000
to $203,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$195,000
to $242,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $36,000 to the total package.
Base
$156,000
Equity
$20,000
Bonus
$13,000
Signing
$3,000
Estimated total: $192,000
How Los Angeles compares.
Los Angeles, CA
$156,000
Cost of living: 18% above average
National Average
$130,000
Los Angeles is $26,000 above
Network Engineer salary by city.
Salary by role in Los Angeles.
What you should know.
If you are interviewing for Network Engineer roles in Los Angeles, here is what you are walking into. Los Angeles blends a thriving entertainment industry with a growing tech and startup ecosystem, often called Silicon Beach. The city's diverse economy spans aerospace, healthcare, fashion, and gaming. LA offers strong salaries that, while below San Francisco levels, pair with a broader lifestyle appeal and lower housing costs relative to the Bay Area. CCIE certification remains the single largest salary differentiator, adding 20 to 30% to base pay. Engineers managing SD-WAN rollouts, hybrid cloud networking, or large-scale data center fabrics command premium rates. Telecom and financial services sectors consistently offer the highest compensation for network specialists.
Help desk and NOC technicians start at $50,000 to $65,000, advancing to network engineer at $78,000 to $135,000 in three to five years. Senior network architects earn $140,000 to $180,000, and director of network engineering roles reach $185,000 to $240,000. In Los Angeles, those numbers run higher. The cost of living here is 18% above average, and employers adjust to compete.
Base salary is not the full picture. Bonuses of 8 to 15% are standard, with on-call stipends adding $5,000 to $12,000 annually. Employers frequently cover CCIE lab fees and ongoing Cisco or Juniper certification renewals as part of retention packages. And on the tax side: california's 13.3% top state income tax rate applies to LA earners as well. There is no city income tax, but the high state rate makes take home pay lower than cities in no income tax states. When someone quotes you $156,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Highlight cross industry skills. LA employers value candidates who bridge entertainment and tech, so framing your experience across verticals can unlock higher offers. The range for Network Engineers in Los Angeles runs from $123,000 to $197,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
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Common questions.
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