Los Angeles is a Tech Hub with many Tech Job Opportunities
By Jenn Rogala
Last Updated: June 5th 2024
Los Angeles: Silicon Beach's Thriving Tech Industry
Software engineers are in high demand in Los Angeles and the demand keeps growing.
Tech Giants are moving into larger office space in Los Angeles and the number of small to medium businesses and startups continues to increase.
At times, Los Angeles has had more tech job openings than Silicon Valley.
Whether you're just starting your career in tech or are an experienced professional looking for new opportunities, Los Angeles has become a great place to build a lucrative career.
Top 10 Tech Jobs in Los Angeles
- Data Scientists collect, analyze, and interpret huge amounts of data through advanced analytics technologies. Big data keeps getting bigger and data scientists make sense of the chaos. They collect that data, analyze it, and identify meaning in it. They find trends that companies use to make business decisions or researchers use to confirm or deny their findings. Many industries use data to understand market trends, consumer behaviors, and business insights. There's a high demand for people who can slice and dice data to make sense of it. The average salary for data scientists in Los Angeles is $136,577 annually.
- Senior Software Engineers not only write software but also manage other developers on their team and ensure the code written by their team members is production-ready. The average salary for a Senior Software Engineer in Los Angeles is $125,385 yearly.
- Full Stack Developers build both the front and back ends of applications and/or websites. They require an understanding of front-end languages like React and back-end technologies like SQL. They must also be familiar with data management systems and web hosting platforms. The average salary for Full stack developers in Los Angeles is $101,329 annually.
- Information Security Analysts safeguard computer networks and protect company architecture, software, and data from malware, ransomware, and other attempts by hackers to gain access to company systems. The average salary for information security analysts in Los Angeles is $105,697 annually.
- IT Project Managers organize, plans, and supervises the implementation of a technical project. They possess technical expertise, leadership, communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. The average salary for this role in Los Angeles is $125,703 yearly.
- IT Managers, also referred to as information system managers, are responsible for executing the technological vision of an organization. They manage multiple teams of developers and collaborate with business users, analysts, and vendors and oversee the technical aspects of the projects in their organization. The position requires strategic thinking, leadership, communication, and effective collaboration. The average annual salary for an IT manager in LA is $124,631.
- Technical Business Analysts design computer systems for clients. They analyze their client's business needs, research, and provide the best technological solution for the organization. They may create prototypes and requirements documents describing the appropriate hardware needs and software features neessary to conduct business. The average salary for a business analyst in LA is $77,004.
- Solutions Architects design and oversee cross-platform infrastructure. Their reach goes across programs, products, and projects and they set the vision for architecture strategies, opportunities, and problem resolution. The average salary for a solutions architect in LA is $109,927.
- Data Engineers design, maintain, and monitor databases to ensure their integrity, scalability, and reliability. The retrieval of data must be optimized for performance as apps retrieve, edit, and store data. These engineers also ensure all transactions are secure. The average salary for a data engineer in LA is $111,613
- DevOps Engineer: DevOps is the integration of development and operations. DevOps Engineers can be involved in many parts of the Software Development Lifecycle. Some of the more important tasks they execute are automation, software deployment, and managing the application on the cloud. Important skills include cloud computing, Linux, Docker, Agile methodology, CI/CD, and configuration management. The average annual salary for a DevOps engineer in LA is $111,030
5 Lesser-known Tech Jobs in Los Angeles
Apart from the tech jobs discussed above, there are other less well-known tech jobs that pay well. Below are examples of those positions:
- Technical Writer: All industries need writing and editorial professionals to author business procedures and documentation found in user manuals and support portals. They ensure instructions and other documentation are clear, accurate, and up to date—for content and grammar. The average annual salary for a technical writer in Los Angeles is $94,265.
- UI/UX Designer: A UX/UI designer ensures that products or services are accessible, enjoyable, and usable for consumers. A designer should have wireframing , prototyping, research, and information architecture skills. The average pay for these positions in Los Angeles is $103,290 yearly.
- Virtual Reality Engineer: A VR engineer generates scripts for utilities. They are proficient in programming languages, game development skills, and solid UI/UX knowledge. The average salary for a virtual reality engineer in Los Angeles is $118,796 yearly.
- Video Game Tester: Refers to a professional who plays video games, examines their features, and uncovers issues before their public release. They must be excellent problem-solvers, understand quality assurance procedures, and be able to work under pressure. The average salary for the role in Los Angeles is $64,985 per year.
- Data Analysts ensure the quality and integrity of data by conducting ongoing processes to keep data clean, formatted accurately, and address data inconsistencies. The average annual salary for a data analyst in LA is $66,519.
Key Takeaways
Los Angeles is a great city to find a job in tech as several noteworthy tech companies have offices there.
The number of small to medium-sized businesses is growing, as are the number of startups.
This, along with a large number of startups, has made the number and variety of tech jobs in Los Angeles soar.
Growth creates new opportunities, and this is evident in LA's tech job market.
See our blog in this series about the Los Angeles tech scene and the tech education available in Los Angeles.
Jenn Rogala
Senior Writer
Jennifer Rogala has worked in the area of healthcare technology for 30 years. Most of her publications were on the topic of how medical technology can improve patient safety. It wasn't until she became a mother that she started writing stories for children. From their infancy her twin daughters loved books. Seeing the joy books gave to her children inspired Jennifer to attempt to create this joy herself and share it with others. Jennifer lives outside of Boston with her twin daughters, and calico cat.