Entry-level Molecular and Cellular Biologist salary in San Jose, CA
Based on 190 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Stanford, Palo Alto, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Mountain View.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $74,746 |
| 25th | $77,148 |
| 50th (median) | $80,250 |
| 75th | $86,750 |
| 90th | $105,100 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $66,125 | $62,700 | $73,367 | 83 |
| FY2021 | $70,000 | $65,000 | $75,000 | 81 |
| FY2022 | $73,330 | $71,843 | $81,870 | 54 |
| FY2023 | $74,000 | $69,695 | $80,326 | 64 |
| FY2024 | $79,000 | $73,083 | $82,744 | 96 |
| FY2025 | $81,000 | $76,605 | $90,500 | 122 |
| FY2026 | $80,000 | $77,820 | $85,000 | 68 |
Cost of living
San Jose's median entry-level Molecular and Cellular Biologist salary of $80,250 is worth about $72,700 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Jose = 110.4).
Compared with all workers here
All Molecular and Cellular Biologists in the San Jose, CA area earned a median of $133,790 in May 2025 (610 employed). The H-1B median here is $80,250, 40% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| The Leland Stanford, Jr University | $79,797 | 144 |
| Arc Research Institute | $102,500 | 19 |
| Zifo Technologies | too few | 3 |
| Carnegie Institution of Washington d/b/a Carnegie Institution for Science | too few | 2 |
| ImpriMed | too few | 2 |
| MetaNovas Biotech | too few | 2 |
| OneCell Diagnostics | 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 | $80,250 | 190 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $105,000 | 71 |
| Senior · Level III | $144,394 | 25 |
| Expert · Level IV | $167,877 | 13 |
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 | $71,635 | $80,250 | 190 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $85,384 | $105,000 | 71 |
| Senior · Level III | $139,651 | $144,394 | 25 |
| Expert · Level IV | $167,149 | $167,877 | 13 |
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.