Entry-level Electrical Engineer salary in San Jose, CA
Based on 166 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I 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 | $128,149 |
| 25th | $130,350 |
| 50th (median) | $135,000 |
| 75th | $147,400 |
| 90th | $156,719 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $84,620 | $79,914 | $90,500 | 76 |
| FY2021 | $96,950 | $88,712 | $108,000 | 82 |
| FY2022 | $105,000 | $101,774 | $120,375 | 59 |
| FY2023 | $100,480 | $99,861 | $115,000 | 65 |
| FY2024 | $113,400 | $99,445 | $128,149 | 109 |
| FY2025 | $131,019 | $128,149 | $140,000 | 88 |
| FY2026 | $141,702 | $131,019 | $150,000 | 78 |
Cost of living
San Jose's median entry-level Electrical Engineer salary of $135,000 is worth about $122,300 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 $135,000, 28% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Rivian | $145,000 | 15 |
| Apple | $147,400 | 11 |
| Meta | $171,298 | 10 |
| Synapse Design Automation | too few | 6 |
| Astera Labs | too few | 5 |
| Scaleflux | too few | 5 |
| Analog Devices | too few | 4 |
| Delart Technology Services | too few | 3 |
| Etched.ai | too few | 3 |
| Nxp | too few | 3 |
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.