Entry-level Backend Developer salary in San Jose, CA
Based on 96 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Palo Alto, Santa Clara, Cupertino.
Median salary$149,365
Middle 50%$103k–$161.3k
vs. all levels here−20%comparison median $187,741
Filings96FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years
Salary range
All levels here
$75k$100k$125k$150k$175k$200k$225k
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $101,254 |
| 25th | $103,000 |
| 50th (median) | $149,365 |
| 75th | $161,250 |
| 90th | $187,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 2 |
| FY2021 | $95,430 | $95,430 | $120,000 | 13 |
| FY2022 | $104,291 | $104,291 | $122,500 | 23 |
| FY2023 | $135,283 | $115,586 | $139,000 | 26 |
| FY2024 | $149,000 | $144,000 | $166,150 | 75 |
| FY2025 | $145,154 | $101,254 | $150,274 | 52 |
| FY2026 | $158,320 | $149,365 | $181,750 | 44 |
Cost of living
San Jose's median entry-level Backend Developer salary of $149,365 is worth about $135,300 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Jose = 110.4).
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| TikTok | $170,870 | 22 |
| Ryzlink | $101,254 | 20 |
| ByteDance | $160,644 | 10 |
| Tinder | too few | 4 |
| Atlassian | too few | 2 |
| Bridgenexus Technologies | too few | 2 |
| Emonics | too few | 2 |
| Maxinsights | too few | 2 |
| Pilot Technologies | too few | 2 |
| Qualified Health PBC | 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 | $149,365 | 96 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $188,840 | 112 |
| Senior · Level III | $230,750 | 56 |
| Expert · Level IV | $257,257 | 50 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.