Mid-level Medical Scientist salary in San Jose, CA

Based on 20 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level II in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Stanford, Palo Alto, Milpitas, Sunnyvale.

Also listed as: Research Scientist, Associate Research Scientist

Median salary$112,900
Middle 50%$102.8k–$129k
vs. all levels here+24%comparison median $91,000
Filings20FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $97,240 and $276,950.
PercentileSalary
10th$99,724
25th$102,750
50th (median)$112,900
75th$128,957
90th$178,996

Salary by year

Median salary

$70k $95k $120k FY2020: median $92,500 (16 filings) FY2021: median $96,188 (24 filings) FY2022: median $78,610 (23 filings) FY2023: median $80,170 (42 filings) FY2024: median $95,945 (19 filings) FY2025: median $112,000 (13 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 16 filings FY20 FY2021: 24 filings FY21 FY2022: 23 filings FY22 FY2023: 42 filings FY23 FY2024: 19 filings FY24 FY2025: 13 filings FY25 FY2026: 7 filings FY26 42
Shaded: FY2025–FY2026, the years behind the figures above. Median shown for years with at least 10 filings. FY2026 covers Q1–Q3 only.
Show as table
Fiscal yearMedianP25P75Filings
FY2020$92,500$78,078$101,25016
FY2021$96,188$90,000$101,25024
FY2022$78,610$70,885$90,60423
FY2023$80,170$75,000$111,75042
FY2024$95,945$81,000$119,90019
FY2025$112,000$103,000$125,00013
FY2026–––7

Cost of living

San Jose's median mid-level Medical Scientist salary of $112,900 is worth about $102,200 at national average prices.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Jose = 110.4).

Compared with all workers here

All Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists in the San Jose, CA area earned a median of $159,300 in May 2025 (2,150 employed). The H-1B median here is $112,900, 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

EmployerMedianFilings
The Leland Stanford, Jr University$110,00015

Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I $84,000 47
Mid-level · Level II $112,900 20
Senior · Level III – 0
Expert · Level IV too few 2

Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.

Minimum H-1B salary by level

Wage levelPrevailing wage (most common)Median offered salaryFilings
Entry-level · Level I$77,688$84,00047
Mid-level · Level II$95,056$112,90020

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.