Entry-level Industrial Engineer salary in San Jose, CA
Based on 224 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Cupertino, Palo Alto, Milpitas.
Also listed as: Manufacturing Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $92,976 |
| 25th | $92,976 |
| 50th (median) | $95,139 |
| 75th | $108,620 |
| 90th | $126,392 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $82,680 | $82,680 | $84,524 | 36 |
| FY2021 | $90,000 | $90,000 | $90,000 | 33 |
| FY2022 | $90,900 | $86,176 | $93,800 | 63 |
| FY2023 | $100,204 | $92,594 | $104,000 | 96 |
| FY2024 | $99,859 | $89,606 | $104,030 | 81 |
| FY2025 | $92,976 | $92,976 | $100,000 | 122 |
| FY2026 | $96,500 | $95,139 | $120,182 | 102 |
Cost of living
San Jose's median entry-level Industrial Engineer salary of $95,139 is worth about $86,200 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Jose = 110.4).
Compared with all workers here
All Industrial Engineers in the San Jose, CA area earned a median of $136,950 in May 2025 (4,800 employed). The H-1B median here is $95,139, 31% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Sandisk Technologies | $92,976 | 36 |
| Apple | $127,600 | 10 |
| Tesla | $101,850 | 10 |
| Western Digital Technologies | too few | 8 |
| Intellectt | too few | 6 |
| DGN Technologies | too few | 5 |
| Super Micro Computer | too few | 5 |
| VAStek | too few | 5 |
| Rivian | too few | 4 |
| Aivres Systems | 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 | $95,139 | 224 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $127,036 | 493 |
| Senior · Level III | $147,780 | 458 |
| Expert · Level IV | $171,000 | 525 |
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 | $92,976 | $95,139 | 224 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $120,182 | $127,036 | 493 |
| Senior · Level III | $142,293 | $147,780 | 458 |
| Expert · Level IV | $170,248 | $171,000 | 525 |
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.