Mid-level Molecular and Cellular Biologist salary in San Jose, CA
Based on 71 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, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Mountain View.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $86,091 |
| 25th | $88,553 |
| 50th (median) | $105,000 |
| 75th | $116,973 |
| 90th | $130,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $94,557 | $72,450 | $99,252 | 36 |
| FY2021 | $118,665 | $105,428 | $145,525 | 34 |
| FY2022 | $100,000 | $84,500 | $107,500 | 47 |
| FY2023 | $84,936 | $72,000 | $100,500 | 68 |
| FY2024 | $108,285 | $82,250 | $116,625 | 46 |
| FY2025 | $102,794 | $88,000 | $116,979 | 44 |
| FY2026 | $105,000 | $89,838 | $114,923 | 27 |
Cost of living
San Jose's median mid-level Molecular and Cellular Biologist salary of $105,000 is worth about $95,100 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 $105,000, 22% 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 | $92,836 | 43 |
| Howard Hughes Medical Institute | too few | 4 |
| Arc Research Institute | too few | 2 |
| Atila BioSystems | too few | 2 |
| Danisco | too few | 2 |
| Zifo Technologies | 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.