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San Jose engineer salary

Estimate

Updated March 2025

What engineers earn in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro, with a full breakdown by role.

Typical pay

$198,002

San Jose

Top earners

$235,611

Higher end

vs national

+64% vs national

U.S. $120,395

State

CA

California

Engineers in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro earn an estimated $198,002, +64% vs national, with top earners near $235,611. See the full breakdown by role below, or estimate your own total compensation — the number sharpens as local engineers contribute.

Engineering pay by role in San Jose

Estimated pay for each discipline in San Jose. Filter the list or open a role for the full picture.

20results

What affects engineering pay in San Jose

  • ▹Local market. San Jose pay runs +64% vs national for the typical engineer, usually above the California statewide estimate.
  • ▹Industry concentration.A metro's dominant employers (tech, defense, energy, healthcare) shift which engineering disciplines command a premium locally.
  • ▹Experience & specialization. Seniority and in-demand skills swing pay well beyond the metro median — see the role table above and the calculator.
  • ▹Remote work.Remote offers may anchor to a company's HQ market rather than San Jose, raising or lowering local pay.

Other California metros

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Engineer salaries in San Jose — FAQ

How much do engineers make in San Jose?
Engineers in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro earn a blended median of $198,002 per year — 64% above the national average — across 11 engineering occupations and 111,310 local jobs. There is no single BLS "engineer" occupation, so this blends the published medians of the engineering occupations reported for the area, weighted by local employment (BLS OEWS May 2024).
What is the highest-paying engineering role in San Jose?
Engineering Managers have the highest published median in San Jose, at $226,940 per year (BLS OEWS May 2024). Local industry concentration shifts which disciplines command the biggest premium.
How does engineering pay in San Jose compare to the national average?
The San Jose engineering median of $198,002 is 64% above the national average of $120,395, against a California statewide blend of $154,208.
Source details

BLS publishes no single "engineer" occupation. This blends the published medians of 11 engineering occupations in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, weighted by local employment (111,310 jobs).

Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →

Estimate your salary →All of California →

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