Mid-level Electrical Engineer salary in San Jose, CA
Based on 347 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level II 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 | $156,624 |
| 25th | $159,890 |
| 50th (median) | $160,160 |
| 75th | $176,606 |
| 90th | $187,693 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $116,581 | $106,330 | $133,000 | 337 |
| FY2021 | $126,131 | $115,000 | $140,000 | 228 |
| FY2022 | $135,000 | $126,200 | $146,044 | 236 |
| FY2023 | $140,500 | $125,000 | $150,000 | 217 |
| FY2024 | $153,968 | $141,500 | $169,398 | 183 |
| FY2025 | $160,105 | $156,624 | $175,070 | 188 |
| FY2026 | $160,160 | $159,890 | $179,067 | 159 |
Cost of living
San Jose's median mid-level Electrical Engineer salary of $160,160 is worth about $145,000 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 $160,160, 14% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Apple | $159,890 | 31 |
| $172,000 | 27 | |
| Mirafra | $158,325 | 24 |
| Tesla | $177,500 | 22 |
| Microsoft | $180,789 | 21 |
| Rivian | $174,275 | 15 |
| Meta | $181,378 | 14 |
| Asml | $159,890 | 11 |
| Delart Technology Services | too few | 9 |
| Micron | too few | 8 |
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.