Physicists salary
in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
Physicists in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro earn a median of $173,450 a year, based on BLS estimates for 440 jobs (May 2025). That is 1% above the U.S. median of $172,250 and 16% below the CA statewide median of $207,490. It ranks #3 of 14 metros with published figures for this job.
- SOURCEBLS OEWS, May 2025
- SAMPLE440 jobs (estimate)
- SCOPEall employers, all experience levels
- PERIODMay 2025 estimates
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EMPLOYERS FILING FOR THIS JOB IN SAN JOSE · VISA-SPONSORED BASE WAGES
Median of each employer’s DOL LCA filings (5+ filings) in this metro, FY2026 Q3. Covers sponsored positions only.
PHYSICISTS PAY IN OTHER CA METROS
Questions
What is the average Physicists salary in San Jose?
The BLS median is $173,450 a year (May 2025). Half of the 440 jobs pay between $150,460 and $226,750. The 10th percentile is $122,840 and the 90th is $302,040.
Is San Jose a high-paying metro for Physicists?
That is 1% above the U.S. median of $172,250 and 16% below the CA statewide median of $207,490. It ranks #3 of 14 U.S. metros with published BLS figures for this job.
Does this include experience levels?
BLS figures cover all experience levels together. Employer filings carry a DOL wage level, which the free checker can filter by (approximate).
Which employers pay Physicists the most in San Jose?
Among employers with 5+ visa-sponsored filings here, the highest medians were Applied Materials ($193,920), The Leland Stanford, Jr University ($95,000). These are base wages for sponsored positions, not all employees.
Sources: U.S. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (national + state) (metro area estimates, all employers); employer rows from U.S. DOL OFLC LCA Disclosure Data, FY2026 Q3 (LCA_Disclosure_Data_FY2026_Q3.xlsx). Base pay only. Estimates can have sampling error, especially for smaller metros.