How much does an engineer make in San Jose?
$169,700a year
Median yearly pay for engineers in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area. That is $81.56 an hour or $14,140 a month.
- Hourly
- $81.56
- Vs. national median
- +38%
- Rank among cities
- 1 of 248
- Jobs in the area
- 4,970
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $94,240Median: $169,700Highest 10%: $266,000
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $94,240 | $45.31 | |
| 25th | $126,500 | $60.81 | |
| Median | $169,700 | $81.56 | |
| 75th | $211,500 | $101.68 | |
| 90th | $266,000 | $127.90 |
Other cities in California
Median yearly pay for engineers.
| San Francisco, CA | $159,800 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $141,200 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $140,000 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $136,700 |
| San Diego, CA | $132,800 |
| Stockton, CA | $127,600 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $125,100 |
| Sacramento, CA | $124,200 |
| Oxnard, CA | $123,000 |
| Fresno, CA | $122,500 |
| Modesto, CA | $111,800 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $104,800 |
| Vallejo, CA | $102,400 |
| Riverside, CA | $100,100 |
| Salinas, CA | $98,950 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $97,210 |
Related jobs in San Jose
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Computer Hardware Engineer | $209,900 |
| Electronics Engineer | $194,400 |
| Electrical Engineer | $187,100 |
| Aerospace Engineer | $181,600 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $168,000 |
| Materials Engineer | $156,700 |
| Health and Safety Engineer | $143,100 |
| Industrial Engineer | $137,000 |
| Bioengineer and Biomedical Engineer | $136,500 |
| Civil Engineer | $130,300 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does an engineer make an hour in San Jose?
The median hourly pay in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area is $81.56 ($169,700 a year).
Do engineers make more in San Jose than the national average?
Yes: $169,700 against $122,900 nationally, 38% more.
How does San Jose compare with the rest of California?
The median in California is $130,900, so San Jose pays 30% more.
Where does San Jose rank for engineer pay?
1 of 248 metro areas with data.
How much does an engineer make starting out in San Jose?
The lowest-paid 10% make $94,240 or less a year; the top 10% make $266,000 or more.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.