Graphic Designer salary in San Jose, CA
Based on 301 certified H-1B filings in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Sunnyvale, Mountain View, Santa Clara, Palo Alto, Cupertino.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $92,000 |
| 25th | $119,910 |
| 50th (median) | $149,100 |
| 75th | $180,000 |
| 90th | $206,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $124,000 | $93,700 | $150,000 | 254 |
| FY2021 | $131,020 | $94,388 | $160,000 | 230 |
| FY2022 | $140,000 | $112,000 | $165,000 | 273 |
| FY2023 | $140,000 | $107,000 | $171,000 | 175 |
| FY2024 | $153,635 | $119,766 | $181,700 | 175 |
| FY2025 | $150,000 | $124,655 | $185,252 | 196 |
| FY2026 | $146,910 | $118,976 | $171,000 | 105 |
Cost of living
San Jose's median Graphic Designer salary of $149,100 is worth about $135,000 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Jose = 110.4).
Compared with all workers here
All Graphic Designers in the San Jose, CA area earned a median of $97,360 in May 2025 (1,280 employed). The H-1B median here is $149,100, 53% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| $185,000 | 46 | |
| Amazon | $167,265 | 45 |
| Apple | $143,900 | 42 |
| Intuit | $155,000 | 21 |
| $150,000 | 13 | |
| Rubrik | $160,000 | 11 |
| TikTok | too few | 8 |
| Adobe | too few | 7 |
| NVIDIA | too few | 6 |
| OKC USA Holding | too few | 4 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $87,840 | 19 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $132,750 | 90 |
| Senior · Level III | $159,000 | 77 |
| Expert · Level IV | $178,000 | 109 |
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 | $60,736 | $87,840 | 19 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $81,890 | $132,750 | 90 |
| Senior · Level III | $103,064 | $159,000 | 77 |
| Expert · Level IV | $124,218 | $178,000 | 109 |
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.