High paying jobs in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA. The percentile range matters more than the median on its own: it shows what the bottom and top of each field actually earn, which a single average hides.

Cost of living: prices in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA run 10.4% above the national average (2024), so a San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA salary is worth about 0.91× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA

OccupationMedian, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA · Employed

1Family Medicine Physicians$351,760
Doctoral or professional degree
$83,390 – $372,9501,120
2Lawyers$301,320
Doctoral or professional degree
$129,350 – $421,0006,040
3Computer and Information Systems Managers$291,660
Bachelor's degree
$164,400 – $377,06019,070
4Natural Sciences Managers$263,810
Bachelor's degree
$157,910 – $333,2701,160
5Architectural and Engineering Managers$234,590
Bachelor's degree
$174,850 – $318,4005,130
6Nurse Practitioners$231,560
Master's degree
$163,670 – $283,4101,580
7Marketing Managers$231,370
Bachelor's degree
$143,670 – $350,1507,300
8Training and Development Managers$230,020
Bachelor's degree
$134,060 – $326,940880
9Financial Managers$225,280
Bachelor's degree
$134,010 – $447,5807,970
10Physician Assistants$223,640
Master's degree
$100,240 – $287,4201,030
11Human Resources Managers$220,460
Bachelor's degree
$124,990 – $397,9102,800
12Computer and Information Research Scientists$218,420
Master's degree
$133,270 – $310,1902,210
13Managers, All Other$217,280
Bachelor's degree
$136,880 – $335,80013,740
14Registered Nurses$216,740
Bachelor's degree
$124,140 – $235,19022,930
15Public Relations Managers$213,510
Bachelor's degree
$137,170 – $338,830980
16Software Developers$213,110
Bachelor's degree
$138,420 – $289,15087,350
17Computer Hardware Engineers$209,860
Bachelor's degree
$141,590 – $284,4007,940
18Dentists, General$207,910
Doctoral or professional degree
$124,470 – $294,2901,130
19Sales Managers$201,780
Bachelor's degree
$84,330 – $345,9808,940
20Web and Digital Interface Designers$201,260
Bachelor's degree
$113,680 – $285,7304,400
21Pharmacists$199,040
Doctoral or professional degree
$151,900 – $234,0801,960
22Purchasing Managers$198,980
Bachelor's degree
$129,490 – $294,680700
23Database Architects$197,960
Bachelor's degree
$128,890 – $263,7701,120
24Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$194,370
Bachelor's degree
$104,620 – $269,7805,970
25Electrical Engineers$187,060
Bachelor's degree
$116,900 – $258,1004,160
26Computer Network Architects$186,110
Bachelor's degree
$129,340 – $274,5002,730
27Data Scientists$185,080
Bachelor's degree
$109,740 – $282,8406,060
28Computer Occupations, All Other$184,430
Bachelor's degree
$98,340 – $290,24016,680
29Aerospace Engineers$181,630
Bachelor's degree
$127,490 – $254,880930
30Sales Engineers$177,490
Bachelor's degree
$100,830 – $242,5201,600
31Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$177,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$94,410 – $295,0001,760
32Information Security Analysts$176,120
Bachelor's degree
$90,290 – $278,3402,280
33Physicists$173,450
Doctoral or professional degree
$122,840 – $302,040440
34Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$173,150
Associate's degree
$100,130 – $213,010500
35Medical and Health Services Managers$171,210
Bachelor's degree
$88,450 – $288,9104,560
36Industrial Production Managers$171,140
Bachelor's degree
$94,260 – $282,6902,210
37Art Directors$170,140
Bachelor's degree
$115,770 – $274,950600
38Engineers, All Other$169,650
Bachelor's degree
$94,240 – $266,0304,970
39Mechanical Engineers$168,030
Bachelor's degree
$105,400 – $217,5305,540
40Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$167,630
Bachelor's degree
$77,080 – $242,3902,790
41Web Developers$166,670
Bachelor's degree
$89,030 – $233,9901,130
42Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$166,530
Bachelor's degree
$84,240 – $215,1306,480
43Financial Risk Specialists$166,240
Bachelor's degree
$100,120 – $221,110480
44Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$165,520
Master's degree
$99,880 – $211,8901,730
45Fundraising Managers$164,330
Bachelor's degree
$106,540 – $303,810460
46General and Operations Managers$163,860
Bachelor's degree
$76,890 – $346,81017,230
47First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$163,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$137,580 – $238,720370
48Construction Managers$163,040
Bachelor's degree
$97,900 – $249,9901,850
49Business Teachers, Postsecondary$160,090
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,920 – $324,590830
50Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$159,300
Doctoral or professional degree
$90,730 – $204,2902,150

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianSan Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$351,760	$83,390 – $372,950	1,120
2	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$301,320	$129,350 – $421,000	6,040
3	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$291,660	$164,400 – $377,060	19,070
4	Natural Sciences ManagersBachelor's degree	$263,810	$157,910 – $333,270	1,160
5	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$234,590	$174,850 – $318,400	5,130
6	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$231,560	$163,670 – $283,410	1,580
7	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$231,370	$143,670 – $350,150	7,300
8	Training and Development ManagersBachelor's degree	$230,020	$134,060 – $326,940	880
9	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$225,280	$134,010 – $447,580	7,970
10	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$223,640	$100,240 – $287,420	1,030
11	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$220,460	$124,990 – $397,910	2,800
12	Computer and Information Research ScientistsMaster's degree	$218,420	$133,270 – $310,190	2,210
13	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$217,280	$136,880 – $335,800	13,740
14	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$216,740	$124,140 – $235,190	22,930
15	Public Relations ManagersBachelor's degree	$213,510	$137,170 – $338,830	980
16	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$213,110	$138,420 – $289,150	87,350
17	Computer Hardware EngineersBachelor's degree	$209,860	$141,590 – $284,400	7,940
18	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$207,910	$124,470 – $294,290	1,130
19	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$201,780	$84,330 – $345,980	8,940
20	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$201,260	$113,680 – $285,730	4,400
21	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$199,040	$151,900 – $234,080	1,960
22	Purchasing ManagersBachelor's degree	$198,980	$129,490 – $294,680	700
23	Database ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$197,960	$128,890 – $263,770	1,120
24	Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerBachelor's degree	$194,370	$104,620 – $269,780	5,970
25	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$187,060	$116,900 – $258,100	4,160
26	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$186,110	$129,340 – $274,500	2,730
27	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$185,080	$109,740 – $282,840	6,060
28	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$184,430	$98,340 – $290,240	16,680
29	Aerospace EngineersBachelor's degree	$181,630	$127,490 – $254,880	930
30	Sales EngineersBachelor's degree	$177,490	$100,830 – $242,520	1,600
31	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$177,400	$94,410 – $295,000	1,760
32	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$176,120	$90,290 – $278,340	2,280
33	PhysicistsDoctoral or professional degree	$173,450	$122,840 – $302,040	440
34	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$173,150	$100,130 – $213,010	500
35	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$171,210	$88,450 – $288,910	4,560
36	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$171,140	$94,260 – $282,690	2,210
37	Art DirectorsBachelor's degree	$170,140	$115,770 – $274,950	600
38	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$169,650	$94,240 – $266,030	4,970
39	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$168,030	$105,400 – $217,530	5,540
40	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$167,630	$77,080 – $242,390	2,790
41	Web DevelopersBachelor's degree	$166,670	$89,030 – $233,990	1,130
42	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$166,530	$84,240 – $215,130	6,480
43	Financial Risk SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$166,240	$100,120 – $221,110	480
44	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$165,520	$99,880 – $211,890	1,730
45	Fundraising ManagersBachelor's degree	$164,330	$106,540 – $303,810	460
46	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$163,860	$76,890 – $346,810	17,230
47	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$163,700	$137,580 – $238,720	370
48	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$163,040	$97,900 – $249,990	1,850
49	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$160,090	$74,920 – $324,590	830
50	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$159,300	$90,730 – $204,290	2,150

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

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The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA to rank honestly.

High paying jobs in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA

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