Entry-level Accountant salary in San Jose, CA
Based on 176 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Milpitas, Mountain View, Cupertino.
Also listed as: Auditor, Tax Accountant
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $79,498 |
| 25th | $81,182 |
| 50th (median) | $87,200 |
| 75th | $94,000 |
| 90th | $100,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $60,320 | $59,862 | $66,000 | 139 |
| FY2021 | $66,600 | $62,317 | $68,000 | 123 |
| FY2022 | $68,000 | $67,205 | $77,500 | 129 |
| FY2023 | $74,277 | $72,363 | $80,000 | 137 |
| FY2024 | $78,020 | $74,277 | $82,250 | 110 |
| FY2025 | $87,158 | $80,000 | $94,000 | 116 |
| FY2026 | $87,200 | $81,182 | $100,000 | 60 |
Cost of living
San Jose's median entry-level Accountant salary of $87,200 is worth about $79,000 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Jose = 110.4).
Compared with all workers here
All Accountants and Auditors in the San Jose, CA area earned a median of $121,700 in May 2025 (13,180 employed). The H-1B median here is $87,200, 28% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| EY | $94,000 | 63 |
| Deloitte | $81,182 | 29 |
| Chen & Fan Accountancy | too few | 4 |
| Macias Gini & O'Connell | too few | 4 |
| Abest Tax Services | too few | 3 |
| Kpmg | too few | 3 |
| PwC US Tax | too few | 3 |
| Azazie | too few | 2 |
| Baker Tilly Advisory Group | too few | 2 |
| Chugh Cpas | too few | 2 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $87,200 | 176 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $109,000 | 252 |
| Senior · Level III | $149,500 | 137 |
| Expert · Level IV | $153,000 | 147 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $79,498 | $87,200 | 176 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $101,670 | $109,000 | 252 |
| Senior · Level III | $123,864 | $149,500 | 137 |
| Expert · Level IV | $146,037 | $153,000 | 147 |
The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.