Chemist salary in San Jose, CA
Based on 53 certified H-1B filings in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Palo Alto, Milpitas, Santa Clara, Stanford, Sunnyvale.
Also listed as: Quality Control Chemist, Analytical Chemist
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $83,308 |
| 25th | $97,700 |
| 50th (median) | $138,590 |
| 75th | $150,051 |
| 90th | $182,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $80,000 | $77,085 | $118,727 | 38 |
| FY2021 | $88,026 | $77,500 | $104,855 | 31 |
| FY2022 | $120,432 | $91,146 | $128,250 | 23 |
| FY2023 | $127,508 | $92,241 | $142,058 | 25 |
| FY2024 | $113,776 | $106,000 | $130,000 | 41 |
| FY2025 | $127,417 | $95,675 | $148,757 | 34 |
| FY2026 | $150,051 | $125,341 | $156,963 | 19 |
Cost of living
San Jose's median Chemist salary of $138,590 is worth about $125,500 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Jose = 110.4).
Compared with all workers here
All Chemists in the San Jose, CA area earned a median of $114,890 in May 2025 (580 employed). The H-1B median here is $138,590, 21% higher.
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 | too few | 6 |
| Agilent Technologies | too few | 4 |
| Jones Day | too few | 4 |
| Western Digital Technologies | too few | 4 |
| Applied Materials | too few | 3 |
| Danisco | too few | 3 |
| Genista Biosciences | too few | 3 |
| Kodiak Sciences | too few | 3 |
| Apple | too few | 2 |
| Centrillion Technologies | 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 | $83,658 | 12 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $100,630 | 11 |
| Senior · Level III | $145,000 | 17 |
| Expert · Level IV | $150,051 | 13 |
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 | $69,014 | $83,658 | 12 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $92,206 | $100,630 | 11 |
| Senior · Level III | $125,341 | $145,000 | 17 |
| Expert · Level IV | $150,051 | $150,051 | 13 |
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.