Entry-level Data Engineer salary in San Jose, CA
Based on 58 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Milpitas.
Also listed as: Database Architect, Data Architect
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $119,704 |
| 25th | $121,602 |
| 50th (median) | $138,362 |
| 75th | $144,750 |
| 90th | $166,400 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 5 |
| FY2021 | – | – | – | 2 |
| FY2022 | – | – | – | 9 |
| FY2023 | $136,626 | $123,215 | $145,650 | 26 |
| FY2024 | $126,150 | $117,775 | $140,075 | 22 |
| FY2025 | $140,100 | $138,362 | $144,000 | 29 |
| FY2026 | $124,500 | $119,704 | $153,600 | 29 |
Cost of living
San Jose's median entry-level Data Engineer salary of $138,362 is worth about $125,300 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Jose = 110.4).
Compared with all workers here
All Database Architects in the San Jose, CA area earned a median of $197,960 in May 2025 (1,120 employed). The H-1B median here is $138,362, 30% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| TikTok | $144,000 | 19 |
| ByteDance | $144,000 | 11 |
| Amazon | too few | 2 |
| Akkodis | too few | 2 |
| DoorDash | too few | 2 |
| Tanisha Systems | 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 | $138,362 | 58 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $170,250 | 95 |
| Senior · Level III | $202,093 | 56 |
| Expert · Level IV | $220,000 | 65 |
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 | $119,704 | $138,362 | 58 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $150,051 | $170,250 | 95 |
| Senior · Level III | $180,398 | $202,093 | 56 |
| Expert · Level IV | $210,746 | $220,000 | 65 |
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.