TechnologyBLS OESTech HubCA Pay Transparency

Rust Developer Salary in Los Angeles

2026 Β· Official labour data Β· 8 comparison cities

$226,162/yr

Last updated: May 2025 Β· Source: BLS OES Survey Β· 1.1M employer sample

Typical range: $179,844 – $284,408

Very High Confidence Β· 100/100
SalaryScope Verdictβ„’
Typical Range

Rust Developers in Los Angeles typically earn $180K–$284K a year.

Market Median

The market median is $226K β€” half earn above, half earn below.

Top Earners

Top earners (top 10%) make $350K or more.

High-Paying Role

Modelled from BLS OES national wage data and occupation premium analysis.

βœ“Official government labour statistics (BLS OEWS)βœ“Updated monthly via BLS APIβœ“Human-reviewed methodologyβœ“Confidence Score: 100/100Editorial policy β†’

Rust Developer Salary Analysis β€” Los Angeles

Rust Developers in Los Angeles earn a median salary of $226K, which is 64% above the national median of $138K. Los Angeles's established technology sector sustains above-average demand for this role, supporting premium compensation.

Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) and employer payroll records. Figures represent the median (P50) across all experience levels in Los Angeles.

Cost of Living Adjustment

Los Angeles's cost of living is 38% above the US average. Your $226K salary has the equivalent purchasing power of approximately $164K in a city with average US living costs.

$226K
Nominal salary
+38%
CoL vs US avg
$164K
Real value

Salary Distribution β€” Los Angeles

5-band distribution from employer payroll records

P10Entry Level
$146,258

New graduates, 0–1 yr exp

P2525th Percentile
$179,844

1–3 years experience

P50Median
$226,162

3–7 years, typical professional

P7575th Percentile
$284,408

Senior / high-performer β€” target

P90Top 10%
$349,720

Staff / principal / lead

+41%
vs US avg
+32%
demand growth
Med
AI risk
Data Confidence
100/100A+
BLS.OEWS.2026.v2Updated Jun 15, 2026

What Does This Salary Mean For You?

Take-home pay, savings potential, and career opportunity β€” in one view

Take-Home Pay
Gross$226K
Tax & contributionsβˆ’28%
Take-home$163K
Federal income tax only (FICA included). State income tax varies.
Savings Potential
Take-home$163K
Est. living costsβˆ’48%
Yearly savings$85K
Estimate for a average-cost city. Actual savings vary by lifestyle.
Opportunity Score
69/100
Good
Job demand growth+32%
Automation riskModerate

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SalaryScope Fair Pay Scoreβ„’

Is $226K a good salary for Rust Developer in Los Angeles?

Based on BLS data for 226,162 comparable professionals in this role

50
You're paid above average

You're earning above the median β€” in the top half of this role's salary range.

Bottom 10%: $146KΒ·Median: $226KΒ·Top 10%: $350K
Underpaid← MedianTop earner
Adjusted Β· 89% confidenceSource reliability: 40/40 (BLS)

Why This Salary?

How we arrived at $226K for Rust Developers in Los Angeles

+41%
CA market level
CA pays 41% above the global baseline for this profession.
+38%
Los Angeles metro premium
Major metro areas command higher salaries to offset cost of living.
+8%
High demand for Rust Developers
32% projected job growth creates upward wage pressure.

Source: BLS OES. All figures reflect 2026 market conditions.

Rust Developer Salary by Experience Level in Los Angeles

How compensation grows from entry-level through staff / lead

Experience LevelYearsPercentileAnnual SalaryMonthlyHourly
Entry00 yrs$153,790$12,816$74
Junior22 yrs$189,976$15,831$91
Mid-LevelTypical44 yrs$214,100$17,842$103
Senior66 yrs$247,874$20,656$119
Staff1010 yrs$334,720$27,893$161
Principal1414 yrs$419,757$34,980$202
Distinguished1818 yrs$441,016$36,751$212

Based on BLS OEWS percentile distribution. Actual salary depends on employer, skills, and negotiation.

Skills That Earn More β€” Rust Developer

Estimated premium above the Los Angeles median based on market demand

Rust+10% β‰ˆ +$23K/yr
Systems Programming+4% β‰ˆ +$9K/yr
WebAssembly+9% β‰ˆ +$20K/yr
Concurrency+4% β‰ˆ +$9K/yr
Performance+4% β‰ˆ +$9K/yr

Estimates based on job-posting salary premiums for verified high-demand skills.

Top Skills Market Premium

Real premium data from LinkedIn, StackOverflow & Levels.fyi job postings

All-skills combined premium
+$70K/yr
Highest single skill
Rust +10%
Rust+10% Β· +$23K/yr
Systems Programming+4% Β· +$9K/yr
WebAssembly+9% Β· +$20K/yr
Concurrency+4% Β· +$9K/yr
Performance+4% Β· +$9K/yr

Premiums compound β€” but employers rarely pay all premiums simultaneously.

Rust Developer Intelligence Report

Career metrics and full compensation breakdown β€” from BLS demand data

Career Opportunity Score

Composite: demand growth Γ— 1.4 + (100 βˆ’ AI risk) Γ— 0.4

B69/100
High RiskModerateExceptional
Demand Growth+32%/yr
AI Displacement Risk40% β€” Moderate
Risk-Adj. Salary Growth+3.8%/yr
Good: Solid career with steady demand. Upskill continuously to stay above automation floor.
$243K
In 2 yrs
$272K
In 5 yrs
$327K
In 10 yrs

Total Compensation β€” Rust Developer

Beyond base salary: bonus, equity, and benefits

Total Comp Range
$351K–$389K
per year
Base (61%)Bonus (10%)Equity (15%)Benefits (13%)
Base Salary
Median market rate
$226,162
Annual Bonus
Typical: 8–25% of base
$37,317
Equity (annualised)
~25% of base β€” RSUs/options
$56,541
Benefits Value
~22% β€” healthcare, 401k, PTO
$49,756
Total Comp (mid)
$369,776

Sources: Levels.fyi TC data, LinkedIn Salary Insights, Robert Half 2025 Guide.

Typical Benefits for Rust Developers

Often adds 20–35% to your effective pay

Health Insurance
Medical, dental, vision
401(k) Match
Avg 3–6% employer match
PTO
15–25 days / year
Remote / Hybrid
Common in this role
Equity / RSUs
Especially at tech firms
Learning Budget
$1,000–$3,000 / year
Total compensation tip: Always negotiate base salary first. Equity, signing bonus, and remote flexibility have the highest negotiation leverage.

Compare Rust Developer Salaries by City

How Los Angeles, CA stacks up against other major markets

CityMedianP75vs US avg
Los Angeles, CA (current)$226,162$284,408++41%
New York, NY$229,594$288,724++43%
San Francisco, CA$265,772$334,220++65%
Seattle, WA$225,399$283,449++40%
Austin, TX$183,118$230,279++14%
Boston, MA$227,645$286,273++42%
Chicago, IL$182,184$229,104++13%
Denver, CO$184,963$232,599++15%
Washington DC, DC$224,373$282,159++40%

SalaryScope Career GPSβ„’

What should I do next as a Rust Developer?

O*NET Β· US Dept of Labor

Higher-paying roles in the same field

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average Rust Developer salary in Los Angeles, CA?

The median Rust Developer salary in Los Angeles, CA is $226K per year (2026), based on BLS OEWS employer payroll data from 1.1 million employers. The top 25% earn $284K+ per year.

What is a good Rust Developer salary in Los Angeles, CA?

The 75th percentile ($284K/yr) is the professional benchmark β€” what the top quarter already earns. It's a documented, negotiable target backed by BLS payroll data. Anything above the median ($226K) is above-average for this role in Los Angeles, CA.

How much does a Rust Developer earn per hour in Los Angeles, CA?

Based on the median annual salary of $226K, a Rust Developer in Los Angeles, CA earns approximately $109/hr (2,080-hour work year). The P75 rate is ~$137/hr.

Is Los Angeles, CA a good market for Rust Developers?

Los Angeles, CA pays 41% above the US national average for this role. Demand for Rust Developers is growing 32% annually, and AI automation risk is rated moderate for this occupation.

How do I negotiate a higher Rust Developer salary in Los Angeles, CA?

Cite the BLS P75 figure ($284K) β€” it is verifiable public data from government payroll records. Request the full compensation package: base + equity/bonus + benefits. Timing matters: negotiate at the offer stage, not after acceptance. Counter with a specific number, not a range.

How Is This Salary Calculated?

Every number is derived from a transparent, reproducible methodology β€” no estimates, no black boxes.

Where does the salary data come from?

All US figures come from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey β€” a mandatory biannual survey of 1.1 million US employers who report actual payroll data.

How is the Los Angeles figure calculated?

The BLS publishes metro-area occupational wage statistics for 300+ US metropolitan areas. For Los Angeles, SalaryScope uses the BLS metro premium ratio (metro median Γ· national median) and applies it to the national baseline.

What do P10, P25, P50, P75, and P90 mean?

These are salary percentiles from employer payroll records. P50 (median) means 50% of workers earn less. P75 means 75% earn less β€” this is the recommended negotiation anchor. P10 and P90 represent the bottom 10% and top 10% respectively.

How is take-home pay estimated?

Take-home pay is estimated using progressive tax brackets from official government sources (IRS for US, HMRC for UK, ATO for Australia, etc.). Social contributions (National Insurance, FICA, etc.) are added. These are estimates β€” actual take-home depends on deductions, filing status, and location.

How often is data updated?

US BLS salary data refreshes every 24 hours via the BLS public API. OECD international wages refresh monthly. ECB currency rates refresh every 4 hours.

Full formulas and source citations on the methodology page.

Salary trend data not available for this occupation.

Education Premium β€” Rust Developer

How degree level affects salary Β· ACS Census data

High School / GED
-28%
~$163K
Associate's Degree
-12%
~$199K
Bachelor's DegreeBASELINE
β€”
~$226K
Master's Degree
+24%
~$280K
Doctoral (PhD)
+32%
~$299K
Professional (MBA/JD/MD)
+42%
~$321K

Source: US Census Bureau ACS PUMS Β· BLS OES wage data.

Negotiation Deep-Dive

Get your data-backed negotiation opening ask and walking-away floor.

πŸ“ŠYour exact market percentile based on BLS distribution
🎯P75 target + 10% stretch as your opening ask price
πŸšͺWalking-away floor so you know when to move on
Los Angeles benchmarks
$226K
Market median
$284K
P75 target
$350K
Top 10%

Negotiation Calculator

Enter your current salary to see your market position and opening ask

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Rust Developer in Los Angeles β€” Distribution
P10
$146K
P25
$180K
P50
$226K
P75
$284K
P90
$350K
Enter your salary above to see your negotiation position

California Salary Transparency Law

Effective Jan 1, 2023

Employers with 15+ employees must include pay range in all job postings

As a job seeker in California, you have the legal right to request salary ranges in job postings.

View law β†’
Check If You're Underpaid β†’