Jobs that pay the biggest premium in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA

Each occupation's median wage in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA compared against the national median for the same occupation. Unlike a cost-of-living adjustment — which scales every job in a state by the same constant and so cannot change their order — this genuinely re-ranks, and it shows where San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

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 · vs. national

1Firefighters$152,100
Postsecondary nondegree award
$59,680 – $181,270+156.6%
2Correctional Officers and Jailers$132,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$90,020 – $132,670+125.1%
3Registered Nurses$216,740
Bachelor's degree
$124,140 – $235,190+122.2%
4Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists$144,410
Bachelor's degree
$106,740 – $173,650+117.9%
5Public Safety Telecommunicators$113,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$65,400 – $159,540+114.6%
6Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$124,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,680 – $152,760+107.8%
7Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service$79,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,730 – $79,260+105.2%
8Web and Digital Interface Designers$201,260
Bachelor's degree
$113,680 – $285,730+93.5%
9Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$154,850
Associate's degree
$98,910 – $185,340+93.3%
10Lawyers$301,320
Doctoral or professional degree
$129,350 – $421,000+88.7%
11Respiratory Therapists$149,680
Associate's degree
$98,000 – $178,580+81.9%
12Special Education Teachers, Middle School$121,070
Bachelor's degree
$78,660 – $134,250+81.2%
13Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers$109,050
Master's degree
$63,230 – $203,830+80.9%
14Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$97,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$68,150 – $100,810+80.6%
15Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$108,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$63,150 – $139,050+80.3%
16Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$141,960
Bachelor's degree
$66,660 – $251,750+80.2%
17Web Developers$166,670
Bachelor's degree
$89,030 – $233,990+79.9%
18Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$173,150
Associate's degree
$100,130 – $213,010+79.3%
19Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$136,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$105,050 – $174,030+78.6%
20Sheet Metal Workers$109,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$54,810 – $155,470+76.8%
21Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$87,430
No formal educational credential
$56,080 – $110,950+76.0%
22Nurse Practitioners$231,560
Master's degree
$163,670 – $283,410+75.0%
23Advertising Sales Agents$113,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,950 – $178,580+74.7%
24Construction and Building Inspectors$129,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,990 – $183,710+73.7%
25Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$72,330
Bachelor's degree
$49,520 – $79,000+73.6%
26Training and Development Managers$230,020
Bachelor's degree
$134,060 – $326,940+72.9%
27Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$83,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,450 – $99,490+71.4%
28Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists$133,700
Bachelor's degree
$73,580 – $182,420+71.0%
29Library Assistants, Clerical$62,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,940 – $78,790+70.1%
30Medical Equipment Preparers$81,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,650 – $98,540+70.0%
31Medical Records Specialists$86,890
Postsecondary nondegree award
$55,430 – $151,520+69.9%
32Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$107,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$63,270 – $155,600+68.6%
33Commercial and Industrial Designers$141,310
Bachelor's degree
$83,340 – $211,100+68.4%
34Computer and Information Systems Managers$291,660
Bachelor's degree
$164,400 – $377,060+66.5%
35Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$116,510
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,500 – $217,680+66.5%
36Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment$122,860
Postsecondary nondegree award
$80,410 – $150,830+65.8%
37Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$177,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$94,410 – $295,000+65.4%
38Surgical Technologists$106,840
Postsecondary nondegree award
$77,640 – $133,480+65.3%
39Counselors, All Other$83,930
Master's degree
$49,680 – $134,920+65.0%
40Pharmacy Technicians$75,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,770 – $99,470+65.0%
41Physician Assistants$223,640
Master's degree
$100,240 – $287,420+64.6%
42Bill and Account Collectors$77,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,760 – $98,540+64.5%
43Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$105,030
Bachelor's degree
$76,620 – $134,110+63.2%
44Computer Network Support Specialists$124,130
Associate's degree
$74,110 – $205,400+62.9%
45First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$129,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$76,800 – $196,070+62.3%
46Business Teachers, Postsecondary$160,090
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,920 – $324,590+61.6%
47Mechanical Engineers$168,030
Bachelor's degree
$105,400 – $217,530+61.4%
48Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other$81,170
Postsecondary nondegree award
$58,610 – $166,840+61.4%
49Education Teachers, Postsecondary$121,520
Doctoral or professional degree
$79,910 – $159,270+61.3%
50Dietitians and Nutritionists$122,910
Bachelor's degree
$89,910 – $155,340+60.9%

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	vs. national
1	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$152,100	$59,680 – $181,270	+156.6%
2	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$132,670	$90,020 – $132,670	+125.1%
3	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$216,740	$124,140 – $235,190	+122.2%
4	Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$144,410	$106,740 – $173,650	+117.9%
5	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$113,800	$65,400 – $159,540	+114.6%
6	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$124,340	$60,680 – $152,760	+107.8%
7	Switchboard Operators, Including Answering ServiceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,260	$47,730 – $79,260	+105.2%
8	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$201,260	$113,680 – $285,730	+93.5%
9	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$154,850	$98,910 – $185,340	+93.3%
10	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$301,320	$129,350 – $421,000	+88.7%
11	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$149,680	$98,000 – $178,580	+81.9%
12	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$121,070	$78,660 – $134,250	+81.2%
13	Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social WorkersMaster's degree	$109,050	$63,230 – $203,830	+80.9%
14	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$97,900	$68,150 – $100,810	+80.6%
15	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$108,190	$63,150 – $139,050	+80.3%
16	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$141,960	$66,660 – $251,750	+80.2%
17	Web DevelopersBachelor's degree	$166,670	$89,030 – $233,990	+79.9%
18	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$173,150	$100,130 – $213,010	+79.3%
19	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$136,140	$105,050 – $174,030	+78.6%
20	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$109,280	$54,810 – $155,470	+76.8%
21	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$87,430	$56,080 – $110,950	+76.0%
22	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$231,560	$163,670 – $283,410	+75.0%
23	Advertising Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$113,250	$58,950 – $178,580	+74.7%
24	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$129,750	$58,990 – $183,710	+73.7%
25	Substitute Teachers, Short-TermBachelor's degree	$72,330	$49,520 – $79,000	+73.6%
26	Training and Development ManagersBachelor's degree	$230,020	$134,060 – $326,940	+72.9%
27	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$83,490	$58,450 – $99,490	+71.4%
28	Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$133,700	$73,580 – $182,420	+71.0%
29	Library Assistants, ClericalHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,780	$40,940 – $78,790	+70.1%
30	Medical Equipment PreparersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,090	$58,650 – $98,540	+70.0%
31	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$86,890	$55,430 – $151,520	+69.9%
32	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$107,560	$63,270 – $155,600	+68.6%
33	Commercial and Industrial DesignersBachelor's degree	$141,310	$83,340 – $211,100	+68.4%
34	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$291,660	$164,400 – $377,060	+66.5%
35	Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and TravelHigh school diploma or equivalent	$116,510	$49,500 – $217,680	+66.5%
36	Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial EquipmentPostsecondary nondegree award	$122,860	$80,410 – $150,830	+65.8%
37	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$177,400	$94,410 – $295,000	+65.4%
38	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$106,840	$77,640 – $133,480	+65.3%
39	Counselors, All OtherMaster's degree	$83,930	$49,680 – $134,920	+65.0%
40	Pharmacy TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,490	$47,770 – $99,470	+65.0%
41	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$223,640	$100,240 – $287,420	+64.6%
42	Bill and Account CollectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,360	$56,760 – $98,540	+64.5%
43	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$105,030	$76,620 – $134,110	+63.2%
44	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$124,130	$74,110 – $205,400	+62.9%
45	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$129,700	$76,800 – $196,070	+62.3%
46	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$160,090	$74,920 – $324,590	+61.6%
47	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$168,030	$105,400 – $217,530	+61.4%
48	Health Technologists and Technicians, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$81,170	$58,610 – $166,840	+61.4%
49	Education Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$121,520	$79,910 – $159,270	+61.3%
50	Dietitians and NutritionistsBachelor's degree	$122,910	$89,910 – $155,340	+60.9%

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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.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA

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