Cost Estimator salary in San Jose, CA
Based on 18 certified H-1B filings in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Santa Clara, Milpitas, Cupertino, Los Gatos, Palo Alto.
Also listed as: Cost Manager
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $79,240 |
| 25th | $93,525 |
| 50th (median) | $126,939 |
| 75th | $147,500 |
| 90th | $190,300 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $79,800 | $69,249 | $118,915 | 16 |
| FY2021 | $91,532 | $72,316 | $122,949 | 16 |
| FY2022 | $100,500 | $90,000 | $119,152 | 14 |
| FY2023 | – | – | – | 9 |
| FY2024 | – | – | – | 8 |
| FY2025 | – | – | – | 4 |
| FY2026 | $119,439 | $89,960 | $138,750 | 14 |
Cost of living
San Jose's median Cost Estimator salary of $126,939 is worth about $115,000 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Jose = 110.4).
Compared with all workers here
All Cost Estimators in the San Jose, CA area earned a median of $97,580 in May 2025 (1,680 employed). The H-1B median here is $126,939, 30% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Facilities Solutions | too few | 2 |
| Preston Pipelines Infrastructure | 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 | – | 0 |
| Mid-level · Level II | – | 0 |
| Senior · Level III | too few | 4 |
| Expert · Level IV | – | 0 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.