Mid-level Materials Scientist salary in San Jose, CA
Based on 14 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level II 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 | $110,010 |
| 25th | $133,890 |
| 50th (median) | $134,445 |
| 75th | $150,559 |
| 90th | $173,753 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $108,500 | $103,552 | $119,688 | 10 |
| FY2021 | $97,534 | $82,742 | $107,984 | 19 |
| FY2022 | $112,941 | $80,000 | $120,000 | 17 |
| FY2023 | $109,907 | $109,907 | $113,094 | 10 |
| FY2024 | – | – | – | 8 |
| FY2025 | – | – | – | 9 |
| FY2026 | – | – | – | 5 |
Cost of living
San Jose's median mid-level Materials Scientist salary of $134,445 is worth about $121,800 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 $134,445, 42% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Western Digital Technologies | too few | 3 |
| Nanolab Technologies | too few | 2 |
| The Leland Stanford, Jr University | 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.