Mid-level Biochemist salary in San Jose, CA

Based on 44 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level II in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Stanford, Palo Alto, Santa Clara, Milpitas, Saratoga.

Median salary$90,676
Middle 50%$81.4k–$117.6k
vs. all levels here+13%comparison median $80,000
Filings44FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $74,636 and $168,019.
PercentileSalary
10th$78,236
25th$81,413
50th (median)$90,676
75th$117,631
90th$130,000

Salary by year

Median salary

$60k $85k $110k FY2020: median $92,000 (12 filings) FY2021: median $103,789 (22 filings) FY2022: median $73,725 (36 filings) FY2023: median $78,000 (33 filings) FY2024: median $88,580 (29 filings) FY2025: median $85,000 (29 filings) FY2026: median $100,000 (15 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 12 filings FY20 FY2021: 22 filings FY21 FY2022: 36 filings FY22 FY2023: 33 filings FY23 FY2024: 29 filings FY24 FY2025: 29 filings FY25 FY2026: 15 filings FY26 36
Shaded: FY2025–FY2026, the years behind the figures above. Median shown for years with at least 10 filings. FY2026 covers Q1–Q3 only.
Show as table
Fiscal yearMedianP25P75Filings
FY2020$92,000$78,255$96,84112
FY2021$103,789$73,673$117,00022
FY2022$73,725$68,247$98,72736
FY2023$78,000$71,650$105,00033
FY2024$88,580$79,500$111,00029
FY2025$85,000$80,000$116,50029
FY2026$100,000$89,026$122,50015

Cost of living

San Jose's median mid-level Biochemist salary of $90,676 is worth about $82,100 at national average prices.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Jose = 110.4).

Compared with all workers here

All Biochemists and Biophysicists in the San Jose, CA area earned a median of $124,050 in May 2025 (190 employed). The H-1B median here is $90,676, 27% 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

EmployerMedianFilings
The Leland Stanford, Jr University$89,02628
Howard Hughes Medical Institutetoo few7
Bridgene Biosciencestoo few2

Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I $78,000 125
Mid-level · Level II $90,676 44
Senior · Level III $84,875 12
Expert · Level IV too few 2

Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.

Minimum H-1B salary by level

Wage levelPrevailing wage (most common)Median offered salaryFilings
Entry-level · Level I$50,149$78,000125
Mid-level · Level II$60,590$90,67644
Senior · Level III$71,053$84,87512

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.