Materials Scientist salary in San Jose, CA
Based on 50 certified H-1B filings in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Milpitas, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Stanford, Cupertino.
Also listed as: Research Associate Materials Science
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $109,658 |
| 25th | $130,973 |
| 50th (median) | $150,515 |
| 75th | $164,278 |
| 90th | $179,874 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $110,000 | $94,070 | $128,419 | 29 |
| FY2021 | $108,955 | $95,000 | $128,674 | 41 |
| FY2022 | $120,000 | $105,369 | $148,263 | 39 |
| FY2023 | $112,063 | $103,005 | $139,476 | 36 |
| FY2024 | $129,996 | $94,110 | $150,938 | 26 |
| FY2025 | $135,000 | $125,000 | $158,101 | 29 |
| FY2026 | $164,278 | $137,000 | $166,750 | 21 |
Cost of living
San Jose's median Materials Scientist salary of $150,515 is worth about $136,300 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Jose = 110.4).
Compared with all workers here
All Materials Scientists in the San Jose, CA area earned a median of $231,920 in May 2025 (180 employed). The H-1B median here is $150,515, 35% lower.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Western Digital Technologies | too few | 9 |
| Applied Materials | too few | 5 |
| Nanolab Technologies | too few | 5 |
| The Leland Stanford, Jr University | too few | 5 |
| Eurofins EAG Materials Science | too few | 4 |
| QuantumScape Battery | too few | 3 |
| Apple | too few | 2 |
| International Battery Company | too few | 2 |
| Kepler Computing | 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 | $109,658 | 13 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $134,445 | 14 |
| Senior · Level III | $164,278 | 15 |
| Expert · Level IV | too few | 3 |
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 | $109,658 | $109,658 | 13 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $133,890 | $134,445 | 14 |
| Senior · Level III | $158,101 | $164,278 | 15 |
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.