Materials Scientists Salary in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
According to the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the median annual wage for Materials Scientists in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA is $231,920. BLS estimates approximately 180 people work in this occupation in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA is 96.9% above the national median ($117,790).
Salary Distribution
Not everyone earns the median. Percentile wages show the range of pay within this occupation.
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $145,330 | $69.87 |
| 25th percentile | $165,930 | $79.77 |
| Median (50th) | $231,920 | $111.50 |
| 75th percentile | $307,610 | $147.89 |
| 90th percentile | $308,680 | $148.41 |
Data Reliability
BLS OEWS is a survey, not a full census — every estimate carries a margin of error. The relative standard error (RSE) below is BLS’s own measure of how much an estimate could vary; lower is more precise.
- Wage estimate
- RSE 2.9% — Very reliable
- Employment estimate
- RSE 10.4% — Reliable
Where Does Your Salary Fall?
Enter an annual salary to see roughly where it falls among reported wages for this occupation, based on the percentile points above.
Concentration
- Jobs per 1,000
- 0.161
- Location quotient
- 2.95
Cost-of-Living Adjusted Salary
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA’s regional price level is above the national average (index 110.423, where 100 = U.S. average). Adjusted for that, the median salary has the purchasing power of $210,029 at the national price level.
This is a Career Atlas USA calculation based on BLS wage data and BEA Regional Price Parities. It is not a separate BLS wage estimate. Wage data: May 2025. Cost-of-living data: 2024.
Sources
Wage data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — May 2025 (release 25).
Figures shown as “Not available” reflect wages the source does not publish (e.g. suppressed for reliability), not zero.