Technical Writer salary in San Jose, CA
Based on 30 certified H-1B filings in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Sunnyvale, Milpitas, Santa Clara, Cupertino, Palo Alto.
Also listed as: Technical Writer Technical
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $116,763 |
| 25th | $135,467 |
| 50th (median) | $165,000 |
| 75th | $169,500 |
| 90th | $188,010 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $100,693 | $91,229 | $123,976 | 22 |
| FY2021 | $127,500 | $103,137 | $145,972 | 26 |
| FY2022 | $114,072 | $94,120 | $132,500 | 19 |
| FY2023 | $142,950 | $132,500 | $156,493 | 12 |
| FY2024 | $153,379 | $119,903 | $165,000 | 17 |
| FY2025 | $166,587 | $142,586 | $168,000 | 17 |
| FY2026 | $157,401 | $130,757 | $188,000 | 13 |
Cost of living
San Jose's median Technical Writer salary of $165,000 is worth about $149,400 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Jose = 110.4).
Compared with all workers here
All Technical Writers in the San Jose, CA area earned a median of $140,700 in May 2025 (920 employed). The H-1B median here is $165,000, 17% higher.
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
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | – | 0 |
| Mid-level · Level II | too few | 2 |
| Senior · Level III | too few | 5 |
| Expert · Level IV | too few | 6 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.