The San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metropolitan statistical area, as BLS defines it.
Pay data · metro area
Average Salary in San Jose, CA (2026)
The average salary in the San Jose metro area is $119,230 a year and the median is $84,050: 65% above the US median and 44% above California's (BLS, May 2025). At national-average prices the median is worth $76,120, 1st of 387 metro areas.
- Average (mean) salary
- $119,230US $69,770
- Median salary
- $84,050US $50,980
- Median hourly
- $40.41BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Price level
- 110.4US = 100 · BEA 2024
The spread
What workers in San Jose earn
| Percentile | San Jose area | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $41,590 | $35,950 | $31,200 |
| 25th | $49,800 | $41,600 | $37,590 |
| 50th (median) | $84,050 | $58,240 | $50,980 |
| 75th | $166,940 | $97,880 | $80,520 |
| 90th | $224,240 | $159,080 | $128,560 |
| Mean | $119,230 | $80,690 | $69,770 |
Prices
Cost of living in San Jose
BEA Regional Price Parities put the San Jose area at 110.4 against a US average of 100. Matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $110,420 here. Compare with another city.
US = 100
- All items110.4
- Housing (rents)211.9
- Goods105.2
- Utilities156.7
- Other services100.3
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| All items | 110.4 |
| Housing (rents) | 211.9 |
| Goods | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 156.7 |
| Other services | 100.3 |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
Common jobs
What common jobs pay in San Jose
Mean annual wage in the San Jose area against the national mean for the same occupation (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Occupation | San Jose area | US mean | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $194,960 | $101,420 | +92% |
| Software Developer | $221,710 | $148,100 | +50% |
| Elementary School Teacher | $102,340 | $72,650 | +41% |
| Accountant | $128,520 | $94,750 | +36% |
| Electrician | $99,650 | $71,490 | +39% |
| Truck Driver | $70,720 | $59,710 | +18% |
| Customer Service Representative | $63,900 | $46,590 | +37% |
| Retail Salesperson | $47,420 | $37,310 | +27% |
| Nursing Assistant | $59,360 | $42,700 | +39% |
| General and Operations Manager | $190,320 | $134,940 | +41% |
| Maintenance and Repair Worker, General | $69,450 | $53,780 | +29% |
| Cook, Restaurant | $49,400 | $38,730 | +28% |
The jobs
Best-paying jobs in San Jose
BLS publishes estimates for 547 occupations in this metro. Highest mean pay, and the large occupations this area pays furthest above their national average.
Highest-paying jobs
Mean annual wage
- 1Regulatory Affairs Manager$235,100
- 2Training and Development Manager$233,790
- 3Public Relations Manager$229,420
- 4Compensation and Benefits Manager$227,470
- 5Materials Scientist$225,780
- 6Nurse Practitioner$225,620
- 7Podiatrist$222,710
- 8Software Developer$221,710
- 9Computer and Information Research Scientist$216,570
- 10Sales Manager$213,240
Jobs San Jose pays above the national average
Occupations with 100,000+ US workers
- 1Firefighter$134,260 · +111%
- 2Public Safety Telecommunicator$116,270 · +105%
- 3Correctional Officer and Jailer$126,280 · +98%
- 4Registered Nurse$194,960 · +92%
- 5Police Officer$143,520 · +81%
- 6Radiologic Technologist and Technician$151,170 · +80%
- 7Market Research Analyst and Marketing Specialist$154,130 · +72%
- 8Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$117,040 · +72%
- 9Medical Records Specialist$97,430 · +72%
- 10Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operator$107,000 · +71%
Compare
Other metro areas in California
San Francisco, CA · $74,260Sacramento, CA · $59,750San Diego, CA · $58,690Santa Rosa, CA · $56,850Los Angeles, CA · $55,850Oxnard, CA · $52,510Santa Maria, CA · $51,690Modesto, CA · $50,610Stockton, CA · $48,990Riverside, CA · $48,400Bakersfield, CA · $47,470Salinas, CA · $47,380California overall →
Method
About these numbers
- All-occupations wages for the metro are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 estimates (api.bls.gov). Wage and salary workers only; excludes the self-employed.
- Pay by occupation is the OEWS May 2025 mean for that occupation in this metro, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 prevailing-wage file. Only figures BLS estimated for this metro itself are used, never state or national fallbacks.
- Price levels are BEA Regional Price Parities for 2024. Price-adjusted pay is a NueCareer calculation (wage ÷ RPP/100).
Questions
Average salary in San Jose: FAQ
What is the average salary in San Jose?
Across all occupations in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area, the average (mean) annual wage is $119,230 and the median is $84,050, 65% above the US median (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That covers 1,134,970 wage and salary jobs.
What is a good salary in San Jose?
Above $84,050 out-earns half of workers in the San Jose area; the top 25% start at $166,940 and the top 10% at $224,240. Prices run 10% above the national average (BEA, 2024), so matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $110,420 here.
Is San Jose expensive to live in?
BEA's price level for the San Jose metro is 110.4 (US = 100, 2024). Housing rents are 211.9, goods 105.2, utilities 156.7. At local prices the median wage is worth $76,120, 1st of 387 metros.
What are the highest-paying jobs in San Jose?
By mean annual wage: Regulatory Affairs Manager ($235,100), Training and Development Manager ($233,790), Public Relations Manager ($229,420), Compensation and Benefits Manager ($227,470), Materials Scientist ($225,780) (BLS OEWS May 2025, via the DOL wage file).