Biomedical Engineer salary in San Jose, CA
Based on 174 certified H-1B filings in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Sunnyvale, Stanford, Palo Alto, Santa Clara, Milpitas.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $80,978 |
| 25th | $110,000 |
| 50th (median) | $133,264 |
| 75th | $150,340 |
| 90th | $176,653 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $114,187 | $90,000 | $140,000 | 85 |
| FY2021 | $120,000 | $102,898 | $133,000 | 109 |
| FY2022 | $120,000 | $100,000 | $141,500 | 134 |
| FY2023 | $113,901 | $89,308 | $135,000 | 99 |
| FY2024 | $133,224 | $99,780 | $148,408 | 108 |
| FY2025 | $125,000 | $104,208 | $149,293 | 115 |
| FY2026 | $138,410 | $125,694 | $160,773 | 59 |
Cost of living
San Jose's median Biomedical Engineer salary of $133,264 is worth about $120,700 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Jose = 110.4).
Compared with all workers here
All Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers in the San Jose, CA area earned a median of $136,450 in May 2025 (270 employed). The H-1B median here is $133,264, 2% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| The Leland Stanford, Jr University | $88,154 | 40 |
| Intuitive Surgical Operations | $143,333 | 24 |
| Cepheid | too few | 8 |
| Align Technology | too few | 7 |
| Shockwave Medical | too few | 6 |
| Verotech Solutions | too few | 6 |
| Auris Health | too few | 5 |
| Becton, Dickinson and Company | too few | 5 |
| St. Jude Medical, Cardiology Division | too few | 5 |
| Varian Medical Systems | too few | 5 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $84,370 | 30 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $122,691 | 50 |
| Senior · Level III | $143,100 | 33 |
| Expert · Level IV | $166,546 | 48 |
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 | $60,403 | $84,370 | 30 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $104,208 | $122,691 | 50 |
| Senior · Level III | $123,698 | $143,100 | 33 |
| Expert · Level IV | $143,166 | $166,546 | 48 |
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.