What jobs pay in San Jose, CA
Typical yearly pay for 45 common jobs in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area, highest first. The last column ranks each job’s pay here against the 50 largest US metros after taxes and local prices.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
| Job | Typical pay | Middle half | Rank after cost of living |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lawyer | $301,320 | $176,840–$375,400 | No. 1 |
| IT manager | $291,660 | $219,860–$319,540 | No. 1 |
| Nurse practitioner | $231,560 | $178,880–$279,950 | No. 1 |
| Marketing manager | $231,370 | $184,390–$318,910 | No. 1 |
| Financial manager | $225,280 | $176,900–$327,840 | No. 1 |
| Physician assistant | $223,640 | $167,230–$250,240 | No. 1 |
| Registered nurse | $216,740 | $165,050–$223,510 | No. 1 |
| Software developer | $213,110 | $173,650–$226,080 | No. 1 |
| Sales manager | $201,780 | $128,620–$306,900 | No. 4 |
| Web and digital interface designer | $201,260 | $161,970–$218,450 | No. 1 |
| Pharmacist | $199,040 | $158,280–$224,830 | No. 1 |
| Data scientist | $185,080 | $149,570–$219,460 | No. 1 |
| Mechanical engineer | $168,030 | $134,460–$201,630 | No. 1 |
| Web developer | $166,670 | $122,680–$215,960 | No. 1 |
| General and operations manager | $163,860 | $102,330–$245,630 | No. 2 |
| Construction manager | $163,040 | $124,940–$200,870 | No. 3 |
| Financial analyst | $144,910 | $121,920–$179,150 | No. 1 |
| Marketing specialist | $141,960 | $97,510–$212,330 | No. 1 |
| Industrial designer | $141,310 | $110,000–$192,240 | No. 1 |
| Dental hygienist | $139,990 | $131,080–$155,770 | No. 2 |
| Physical therapist | $139,000 | $123,130–$165,170 | No. 2 |
| Management analyst | $136,670 | $104,780–$174,350 | No. 3 |
| Police officer | $136,140 | $125,270–$165,490 | No. 1 |
| Project manager | $135,120 | $102,160–$172,820 | No. 2 |
| Civil engineer | $130,280 | $100,300–$166,320 | No. 2 |
| Accountant | $121,700 | $96,430–$156,700 | No. 1 |
| HR specialist | $112,140 | $85,150–$153,460 | No. 1 |
| High school teacher | $108,230 | $89,170–$131,140 | No. 3 |
| Plumber | $107,560 | $76,040–$155,600 | No. 3 |
| Sales representative | $103,670 | $73,690–$159,980 | No. 1 |
| Elementary school teacher | $102,860 | $83,030–$121,840 | No. 4 |
| Graphic designer | $97,360 | $73,990–$127,880 | No. 1 |
| Licensed practical nurse (LPN) | $95,320 | $84,000–$100,950 | No. 1 |
| IT support specialist | $93,590 | $74,890–$115,300 | No. 2 |
| Electrician | $91,030 | $63,420–$128,530 | No. 8 |
| HVAC technician | $82,050 | $63,820–$106,630 | No. 4 |
| Carpenter | $80,190 | $62,870–$102,700 | No. 5 |
| Auto mechanic | $77,840 | $55,550–$91,630 | No. 1 |
| Truck driver | $70,730 | $57,880–$80,120 | No. 8 |
| Administrative assistant | $62,940 | $53,220–$77,380 | No. 1 |
| Medical assistant | $61,940 | $51,390–$78,120 | No. 3 |
| Customer service representative | $60,480 | $48,180–$74,670 | No. 1 |
| Nursing assistant (CNA) | $56,840 | $51,870–$67,880 | No. 1 |
| Warehouse worker | $47,060 | $43,300–$56,680 | No. 17 |
| Retail salesperson | $44,220 | $40,980–$47,010 | No. 1 |