Mid-level Materials Engineer salary in San Jose, CA
Based on 84 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level II 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 | $119,496 |
| 25th | $119,499 |
| 50th (median) | $137,925 |
| 75th | $155,000 |
| 90th | $162,818 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $107,250 | $95,000 | $125,750 | 59 |
| FY2021 | $108,014 | $96,250 | $117,828 | 54 |
| FY2022 | $115,000 | $100,921 | $125,000 | 41 |
| FY2023 | $120,175 | $114,733 | $135,000 | 33 |
| FY2024 | $119,496 | $114,733 | $135,616 | 46 |
| FY2025 | $127,997 | $119,496 | $150,634 | 56 |
| FY2026 | $147,444 | $135,588 | $155,830 | 28 |
Cost of living
San Jose's median mid-level Materials Engineer salary of $137,925 is worth about $124,900 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 $137,925, 12% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Headway Technologies | $161,006 | 21 |
| Western Digital Technologies | $134,800 | 10 |
| Kla | too few | 9 |
| Tesla | too few | 6 |
| OmniVision Technologies | too few | 5 |
| Apple | too few | 4 |
| Applied Materials | too few | 3 |
| Kforce | too few | 3 |
| NWE Technology | too few | 3 |
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.