San Jose, CA H-1B salaries — 105,318 certified filings (FY2016–FY2026)
- 10,180
- Filings · FY2025
- $168k
- Median base · FY2025
- $136k–$202k
- Middle 50% · FY2025
- Paypal
- Top sponsor · 6,536 all-time
Employers in San Jose, CA have 105,318 certified H-1B LCAs on record since FY2016. In FY2025 the median base salary was $168k across 10,180 filings, with the middle 50% between $136k and $202k. The biggest sponsors are Paypal, eBay, Cisco Systems; the most-sponsored titles are Software Engineer, Software Engineer 3, Software Developer.
How much do H-1B workers in San Jose, CA make?
Certified base salary by fiscal year: each box is the p25–p75 range, the heavy line the median, the whiskers reach p10–p90. $168k median in FY2025. Base pay only — hover a year for its figures.
How has H-1B hiring in San Jose, CA changed?
9,100 certified filings in FY2016 → 8,410 in FY2026. The change column is each year against the one before.
| Fiscal year | Filings | vs prior FY | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | 8,410 | −17% | $180k |
| FY2025 | 10,180 | +13% | $168k |
| FY2024 | 9,011 | +4% | $165k |
| FY2023 | 8,640 | −15% | $149k |
| FY2022 | 10,201 | +6% | $143k |
| FY2021 | 9,628 | +2% | $136k |
| FY2020 | 9,408 | −11% | $123k |
| FY2019 | 10,527 | −3% | $115k |
| FY2018 | 10,898 | +17% | $112k |
| FY2017 | 9,315 | +2% | $102k |
| FY2016 | 9,100 | — | $100k |
Which companies sponsor H-1B workers in San Jose, CA?
The employers with the most certified filings, all years, with their median base salary. Open any employer for its full profile.
| # | Employer | Filings | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paypal | 6,536 | $156k |
| 2 | eBay | 5,248 | $160k |
| 3 | Cisco Systems | 4,553 | $143k |
| 4 | Adobe | 3,843 | $171k |
| 5 | Bytedance | 2,142 | $212k |
| 6 | Ernst Young U.S. LLP | 2,077 | $119k |
| 7 | Infosys | 1,751 | $108k |
| 8 | Hewlett Packard Enterprise | 1,458 | $165k |
| 9 | Cadence Design Systems | 1,446 | $142k |
| 10 | Xilinx | 1,412 | $143k |
What H-1B jobs get sponsored in San Jose, CA?
The most-filed job titles on certified LCAs in this city, all years (DOL titles, pay-grade codes stripped).
| # | Job title | Filings | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Software Engineer | 5,907 | $131k |
| 2 | Software Engineer 3 | 2,033 | $146k |
| 3 | Software Developer | 1,974 | $111k |
| 4 | Senior Software Engineer | 1,814 | $156k |
| 5 | MTS 1, Software Engineer | 1,576 | $170k |
| 6 | Software Development Engineer | 1,560 | $167k |
| 7 | Software Engineer 2 | 1,290 | $124k |
| 8 | Programmer Analyst | 1,147 | $76k |
| 9 | Member of Technical Staff | 839 | $147k |
| 10 | MTS 2, Software Engineer | 747 | $198k |
Common questions about H-1B jobs in San Jose, CA
- What is the median H-1B salary in San Jose, CA?
- The median certified H-1B base salary in San Jose, CA is $168k (FY2025), from 10,180 filings. Across all years the middle 50% earn between $108k and $167k.
- Which companies sponsor the most H-1B workers in San Jose, CA?
- The top H-1B sponsors in San Jose, CA are Paypal, eBay, Cisco Systems.
- What are the most common H-1B jobs in San Jose, CA?
- The most-sponsored H-1B roles in San Jose, CA are Software Engineer, Software Engineer 3, Software Developer.
- Does a certified LCA mean an H-1B visa was approved?
- No. A Labor Condition Application (LCA) is the Department of Labor attestation an employer must have certified before filing an H-1B petition with USCIS. It records the job, worksite and offered wage, but not whether the petition was filed, selected in the lottery, or approved. Filing counts measure intent to sponsor, not headcount.
- What salary do these figures show?
- The base annual wage offered on the certified LCA, converted to a yearly amount. Bonus, equity, overtime and benefits are not included, so total compensation is typically higher. Figures are medians and percentiles over certified filings; wages above $5,000,000 a year are excluded as data-entry errors.
- What does the fiscal year mean here?
- Years are U.S. government fiscal years, October to September: FY2025 runs from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025. This matches how the Department of Labor publishes the disclosure files. The most recent year may be partial until its final quarter is released.
Keep exploring
Calculate your H-1B lottery odds →orCheck out the insights →
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification — certified LCA disclosure data through June 2026 (FY2016–FY2026). An LCA is not an approved visa; pay figures are base salary and exclude bonus and equity. Methodology →