Expert Chemical Engineer salary in San Jose, CA
Based on 26 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Santa Clara, Palo Alto, Cupertino, Sunnyvale, Stanford.
Also listed as: Process Engineer
Median salary$178,651
Middle 50%$165k–$178.7k
vs. all levels here+19%comparison median $150,000
Filings26FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years
Salary range
All levels here
$140k$150k$160k$170k$180k$190k$200k$210k
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $151,050 |
| 25th | $165,030 |
| 50th (median) | $178,651 |
| 75th | $178,651 |
| 90th | $192,750 |
Cost of living
San Jose's median expert Chemical Engineer salary of $178,651 is worth about $161,800 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Applied Materials | $178,651 | 11 |
| Apple | too few | 3 |
| Western Digital Technologies | too few | 3 |
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 | 5 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $120,000 | 22 |
| Senior · Level III | $151,070 | 43 |
| Expert · Level IV | $178,651 | 26 |
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 | $110,781 | $120,000 | 22 |
| Senior · Level III | $129,085 | $151,070 | 43 |
| Expert · Level IV | $147,389 | $178,651 | 26 |
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.