Expert Biomedical Engineer salary in San Jose, CA
Based on 48 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV 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 | $136,856 |
| 25th | $143,875 |
| 50th (median) | $166,546 |
| 75th | $182,294 |
| 90th | $206,670 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $180,000 | $160,000 | $200,000 | 10 |
| FY2021 | $146,576 | $141,294 | $163,000 | 13 |
| FY2022 | $151,900 | $142,263 | $162,476 | 31 |
| FY2023 | $141,675 | $132,689 | $158,100 | 24 |
| FY2024 | $151,809 | $133,224 | $168,787 | 40 |
| FY2025 | $159,452 | $143,500 | $180,000 | 29 |
| FY2026 | $170,825 | $159,073 | $185,563 | 19 |
Cost of living
San Jose's median expert Biomedical Engineer salary of $166,546 is worth about $150,800 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 $166,546, 22% higher.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Intuitive Surgical Operations | too few | 9 |
| The Leland Stanford, Jr University | too few | 8 |
| Auris Health | too few | 4 |
| Becton, Dickinson and Company | too few | 3 |
| Shockwave Medical | too few | 3 |
| Align Technology | too few | 2 |
| Cepheid | 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 | $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.