Mid-level Mechanical Engineer salary in San Jose, CA
Based on 386 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level II in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Cupertino, Palo Alto, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Mountain View.
Also listed as: Mechanical Design Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $128,690 |
| 25th | $132,142 |
| 50th (median) | $140,718 |
| 75th | $155,000 |
| 90th | $176,273 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $120,000 | $106,350 | $133,900 | 266 |
| FY2021 | $110,207 | $104,000 | $125,000 | 207 |
| FY2022 | $118,229 | $107,405 | $135,000 | 232 |
| FY2023 | $120,750 | $112,819 | $135,000 | 200 |
| FY2024 | $125,000 | $116,730 | $138,313 | 166 |
| FY2025 | $138,000 | $128,960 | $154,577 | 229 |
| FY2026 | $145,000 | $132,288 | $159,000 | 157 |
Cost of living
San Jose's median mid-level Mechanical Engineer salary of $140,718 is worth about $127,400 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Jose = 110.4).
Compared with all workers here
All Mechanical Engineers in the San Jose, CA area earned a median of $168,030 in May 2025 (5,540 employed). The H-1B median here is $140,718, 16% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Tesla | $150,000 | 68 |
| Apple | $141,800 | 32 |
| $171,000 | 14 | |
| Kla | $147,213 | 14 |
| Rivian | $150,670 | 12 |
| HCLTech | $132,142 | 11 |
| Western Digital Technologies | too few | 9 |
| NWE Technology | too few | 8 |
| Meta | too few | 7 |
| Auris Health | too few | 6 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $108,160 | 144 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $140,718 | 386 |
| Senior · Level III | $160,000 | 449 |
| Expert · Level IV | $185,869 | 397 |
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 | $105,269 | $108,160 | 144 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $128,690 | $140,718 | 386 |
| Senior · Level III | $155,043 | $160,000 | 449 |
| Expert · Level IV | $185,869 | $185,869 | 397 |
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.