Entry-level Industrial Designer salary in San Jose, CA
Based on 15 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Palo Alto, Santa Clara.
Also listed as: Technical Designer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $83,699 |
| 25th | $83,699 |
| 50th (median) | $85,000 |
| 75th | $112,400 |
| 90th | $144,500 |
Cost of living
San Jose's median entry-level Industrial Designer salary of $85,000 is worth about $77,000 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Jose = 110.4).
Compared with all workers here
All Commercial and Industrial Designers in the San Jose, CA area earned a median of $141,310 in May 2025 (410 employed). The H-1B median here is $85,000, 40% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Zymebalanz | too few | 4 |
| TikTok | 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 | $85,000 | 15 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $147,000 | 45 |
| Senior · Level III | $160,000 | 21 |
| Expert · Level IV | $179,000 | 40 |
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 | $83,699 | $85,000 | 15 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $110,323 | $147,000 | 45 |
| Senior · Level III | $123,760 | $160,000 | 21 |
| Expert · Level IV | $163,571 | $179,000 | 40 |
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.