Entry-level Materials Engineer salary in San Jose, CA
Based on 25 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Santa Clara, Milpitas, Cupertino, Sunnyvale, Palo Alto.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $74,570 |
| 25th | $94,307 |
| 50th (median) | $95,450 |
| 75th | $120,000 |
| 90th | $141,341 |
Cost of living
San Jose's median entry-level Materials Engineer salary of $95,450 is worth about $86,400 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Jose = 110.4).
Compared with all workers here
All Materials Engineers in the San Jose, CA area earned a median of $156,730 in May 2025 (550 employed). The H-1B median here is $95,450, 39% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Nanolab Technologies | too few | 4 |
| The Leland Stanford, Jr University | too few | 4 |
| Apple | too few | 2 |
| Headway Technologies | too few | 2 |
| Xtl | 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 | $95,450 | 25 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $137,925 | 84 |
| Senior · Level III | $155,251 | 131 |
| Expert · Level IV | $178,797 | 78 |
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 | $94,307 | $95,450 | 25 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $119,496 | $137,925 | 84 |
| Senior · Level III | $144,664 | $155,251 | 131 |
| Expert · Level IV | $178,797 | $178,797 | 78 |
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.