Senior Materials Scientist salary in San Jose, CA
Based on 15 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III 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 | $145,457 |
| 25th | $158,101 |
| 50th (median) | $164,278 |
| 75th | $165,514 |
| 90th | $174,700 |
Cost of living
San Jose's median senior Materials Scientist salary of $164,278 is worth about $148,800 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 $164,278, 29% 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 | 4 |
| Kepler Computing | too few | 2 |
| QuantumScape Battery | 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.