Research Manager (Natural Sciences) salary in San Jose, CA
Based on 20 certified H-1B filings in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Stanford, Mountain View, Santa Clara, Palo Alto, Sunnyvale.
Also listed as: Clinical Research Coordinator, Clinical Research Manager
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $77,004 |
| 25th | $108,044 |
| 50th (median) | $160,219 |
| 75th | $192,738 |
| 90th | $239,866 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 7 |
| FY2021 | $163,500 | $134,738 | $185,000 | 10 |
| FY2022 | $158,710 | $120,787 | $181,132 | 14 |
| FY2023 | $137,696 | $87,500 | $178,360 | 13 |
| FY2024 | $158,000 | $90,000 | $187,454 | 16 |
| FY2025 | $152,000 | $90,750 | $193,250 | 15 |
| FY2026 | – | – | – | 5 |
Cost of living
San Jose's median Research Manager (Natural Sciences) salary of $160,219 is worth about $145,100 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Jose = 110.4).
Compared with all workers here
All Natural Sciences Managers in the San Jose, CA area earned a median of $239,200+ in May 2025 (1,160 employed). The H-1B median here is $160,219, 39% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| The Leland Stanford, Jr University | too few | 6 |
| Applied Materials | too few | 3 |
| Guardant Health | 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 | $121,202 | 10 |
| Mid-level · Level II | – | 0 |
| 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 | $62,941 | $121,202 | 10 |
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.