Aerospace Engineer salary in San Jose, CA
Based on 51 certified H-1B filings in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Mountain View, Moffett Field, Sunnyvale, Palo Alto, Santa Clara.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $127,195 |
| 25th | $135,167 |
| 50th (median) | $164,813 |
| 75th | $182,749 |
| 90th | $187,782 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $128,000 | $105,356 | $148,500 | 31 |
| FY2021 | $131,365 | $122,451 | $163,476 | 12 |
| FY2022 | $125,000 | $121,555 | $150,117 | 23 |
| FY2023 | $123,000 | $108,000 | $156,957 | 19 |
| FY2024 | $138,650 | $114,100 | $166,000 | 26 |
| FY2025 | $162,407 | $134,493 | $182,749 | 32 |
| FY2026 | $175,000 | $140,837 | $187,782 | 19 |
Cost of living
San Jose's median Aerospace Engineer salary of $164,813 is worth about $149,300 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Jose = 110.4).
Compared with all workers here
All Aerospace Engineers in the San Jose, CA area earned a median of $181,630 in May 2025 (930 employed). The H-1B median here is $164,813, 9% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Archer Aviation | $176,897 | 10 |
| Analytical Mechanics Associates | too few | 6 |
| Wisk Aero | too few | 6 |
| Archer Aviation Operating | too few | 5 |
| LTA Research and Exploration | too few | 4 |
| Wing Aviation | too few | 4 |
| Ceres Robotics | 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 | too few | 2 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $135,000 | 15 |
| Senior · Level III | too few | 4 |
| Expert · Level IV | $187,782 | 18 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mid-level · Level II | $134,493 | $135,000 | 15 |
| Expert · Level IV | $187,782 | $187,782 | 18 |
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.