Mid-level Physicist salary in San Jose, CA
Based on 22 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level II in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Stanford, Santa Clara, Palo Alto, Milpitas, Moffett Field.
Also listed as: Medical Physicist, Assistant Physicist
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $105,600 |
| 25th | $147,021 |
| 50th (median) | $160,332 |
| 75th | $175,510 |
| 90th | $185,878 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $120,638 | $110,781 | $138,750 | 26 |
| FY2021 | $110,864 | $110,864 | $130,842 | 14 |
| FY2022 | $129,272 | $118,602 | $149,760 | 17 |
| FY2023 | $147,447 | $142,251 | $149,760 | 13 |
| FY2024 | $143,000 | $100,000 | $156,000 | 17 |
| FY2025 | $158,340 | $156,083 | $175,500 | 13 |
| FY2026 | – | – | – | 9 |
Cost of living
San Jose's median mid-level Physicist salary of $160,332 is worth about $145,200 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Jose = 110.4).
Compared with all workers here
All Physicists in the San Jose, CA area earned a median of $173,450 in May 2025 (440 employed). The H-1B median here is $160,332, 8% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Kla | too few | 6 |
| Applied Materials | too few | 4 |
| The Leland Stanford, Jr University | too few | 3 |
| Bay Area Environmental Research Institute | too few | 2 |
| PsiQuantum | 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 | $90,600 | 32 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $160,332 | 22 |
| Senior · Level III | too few | 2 |
| Expert · Level IV | – | 0 |
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 | $78,853 | $90,600 | 32 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $156,083 | $160,332 | 22 |
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.