Mid-level Civil Engineer salary in San Jose, CA
Based on 52 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level II in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Santa Clara, Mountain View, Cupertino, Milpitas, Sunnyvale.
Also listed as: Structural Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $110,000 |
| 25th | $115,097 |
| 50th (median) | $116,600 |
| 75th | $123,757 |
| 90th | $129,967 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $96,886 | $96,886 | $100,000 | 13 |
| FY2021 | $98,405 | $94,910 | $98,976 | 16 |
| FY2022 | $105,000 | $99,070 | $117,500 | 21 |
| FY2023 | $103,000 | $101,379 | $107,500 | 11 |
| FY2024 | $106,446 | $100,891 | $125,500 | 16 |
| FY2025 | $116,428 | $112,171 | $121,400 | 35 |
| FY2026 | $120,000 | $115,128 | $129,189 | 17 |
Cost of living
San Jose's median mid-level Civil Engineer salary of $116,600 is worth about $105,600 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Jose = 110.4).
Compared with all workers here
All Civil Engineers in the San Jose, CA area earned a median of $130,280 in May 2025 (3,170 employed). The H-1B median here is $116,600, 11% 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
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | too few | 2 |
| WSP | too few | 2 |
| Cahill Contractors | too few | 2 |
| Didi Research America | too few | 2 |
| Hill International | too few | 2 |
| Mg Constructors & Engineers | too few | 2 |
| Morris & Ritchie Associates | too few | 2 |
| Mott MacDonald Group | too few | 2 |
| Peoples Associates Structural Engineers | too few | 2 |
| Timeline Construction | 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 | $92,468 | 48 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $116,600 | 52 |
| Senior · Level III | $137,800 | 25 |
| Expert · Level IV | too few | 2 |
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 | $88,213 | $92,468 | 48 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $108,930 | $116,600 | 52 |
| Senior · Level III | $129,667 | $137,800 | 25 |
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.