Electrical Engineer salary in San Jose, CA
Based on 1,733 certified H-1B filings in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Santa Clara, Mountain View, Palo Alto.
Also listed as: Electrical Design Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $136,070 |
| 25th | $151,667 |
| 50th (median) | $175,800 |
| 75th | $204,000 |
| 90th | $226,652 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $132,746 | $108,000 | $155,000 | 817 |
| FY2021 | $142,864 | $123,000 | $169,950 | 926 |
| FY2022 | $156,000 | $134,380 | $180,000 | 910 |
| FY2023 | $155,106 | $138,944 | $180,000 | 760 |
| FY2024 | $165,000 | $141,440 | $195,000 | 669 |
| FY2025 | $170,000 | $151,433 | $198,237 | 1,009 |
| FY2026 | $180,000 | $157,802 | $216,000 | 724 |
Cost of living
San Jose's median Electrical Engineer salary of $175,800 is worth about $159,200 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Jose = 110.4).
Compared with all workers here
All Electrical Engineers in the San Jose, CA area earned a median of $187,060 in May 2025 (4,160 employed). The H-1B median here is $175,800, 6% lower.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Apple | $162,649 | 502 |
| Microsoft | $215,000 | 113 |
| Tesla | $200,000 | 105 |
| Meta | $217,344 | 74 |
| $179,600 | 71 | |
| Rivian | $194,370 | 62 |
| Mirafra | $160,000 | 45 |
| Astera Labs | $167,151 | 30 |
| Micron | $177,876 | 23 |
| Texas Instruments Incorporated | $159,890 | 21 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $135,000 | 166 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $160,160 | 347 |
| Senior · Level III | $198,720 | 305 |
| Expert · Level IV | $220,000 | 278 |
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 | $131,019 | $135,000 | 166 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $159,890 | $160,160 | 347 |
| Senior · Level III | $188,760 | $198,720 | 305 |
| Expert · Level IV | $217,630 | $220,000 | 278 |
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.