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Salaries in San Jose by Occupation

Average pay by occupation in the San Jose metro area: 36 jobs ranked by annual salary from official U.S. BLS OEWS wage data. Figures cover the whole San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metropolitan area, not just city centers.

Source: U.S. BLS OEWS metro data (San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA) · Last verified: 2026-10-08 · Methodology

San Jose pay by occupation

OccupationHourlyYearly
Financial Managers$113.89$236,890
Marketing Managers$113.54$236,170
Software Developers$96.06$199,800
Data Scientists$86.75$180,440
Information Security Analysts$82.19$170,960
Registered Nurses$82.11$170,780
Web Developers$75.23$156,480
Project Management Specialists$72.46$150,720
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$67.07$139,510
Accountants and Auditors$59.65$124,070
Firefighters$58.63$121,960
Human Resources Specialists$55.11$114,620
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$54.75$113,870
Graphic Designers$49.64$103,260
Electricians$49.32$102,590
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$47.87$99,570
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$46.50$96,730
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$43.99$91,500
Computer User Support Specialists$42.14$87,650
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$41.91$87,180
Carpenters$38.91$80,940
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$35.98$74,830
Chefs and Head Cooks$34.08$70,890
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$33.44$69,560
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$32.37$67,330
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$31.61$65,740
Phlebotomists$29.13$60,600
Medical Assistants$28.93$60,180
Customer Service Representatives$28.22$58,690
Office Clerks, General$27.59$57,380
Nursing Assistants$26.72$55,580
Light Truck Drivers$24.84$51,670
Receptionists and Information Clerks$24.73$51,440
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$23.11$48,070
Stockers and Order Fillers$22.52$46,850
Retail Salespersons$22.15$46,070

Highest-paying occupations in San Jose

  1. Financial Managers — $236,890 a year
  2. Marketing Managers — $236,170 a year
  3. Software Developers — $199,800 a year
  4. Data Scientists — $180,440 a year
  5. Information Security Analysts — $170,960 a year

Wages above cover the whole San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro. For statewide context, see the California salary page, or browse all 36 salary guides.

Frequently asked questions

Which occupation pays the most in San Jose?

Financial Managers leads, at about $236,890 a year in the latest BLS OEWS release (San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro).

Where does the data come from?

Official U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS wages for the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metropolitan statistical area, verified on 2026-10-08. Each occupation links to its full state-by-state table.

Is this pay for the city or the whole metro?

Pay covers the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA MSA — the city plus surrounding counties — which is exactly how the BLS publishes local wage data. Neighborhood-level pay varies.

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