Sales Engineers pay range in San Jose
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $100,830 a year or less, while the top 10% make $242,520 or more. The middle half of sales engineers in San Jose earn between $141,930 and $209,730.
- $101K10th
- $142K25th
- $177KMedian
- $210K75th
- $243K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $180,170 | $15,014 | $86.62 |
| Median | $177,490 | $14,791 | $85.33 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $141,930 | $11,828 | $68.24 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $209,730 | $17,478 | $100.83 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Sales Engineers pay in San Jose vs. California and the U.S.
Sales engineers in San Jose earn 23% more than the California average ($146,590) and 38% more than the U.S. average ($130,140). At the median the gap is +42% against the U.S. median of $124,900.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose | $180,170 | $177,490 | $100,830 | $242,520 | 1,600 |
| California | $146,590 | $139,160 | $78,850 | $213,370 | 6,310 |
| United States | $130,140 | $124,900 | $73,870 | $195,270 | 51,790 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Sales Engineers salary after taxes in San Jose
On the average salary of $180,170, a single filer in San Jose takes home about $121,748 a year, or $10,146 a month and $4,683 every two weeks. Taxes take 32% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is San Jose a good place for sales engineers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Jose area are 10% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 110.4), so the average $180,170 buys what about $163,163 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.1 times the median wage of all jobs in San Jose ($84,050). A typical home costs $1,610,466, or 8.9 years of this average salary before tax.
Sales Engineers salary in other California cities
San Jose ranks 1st of 12 California metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- San Jose$180,170
- San Luis Obispo$172,040
- San Francisco$154,650
- Santa Maria$146,280
- Sacramento$140,470
- Bakersfield$133,280
- Oxnard$127,420
- San Diego$127,090
- Los Angeles$125,150
- Santa Rosa$121,840
Highest-paying cities for sales engineers
Durham, NC pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($183,510).
- Durham, NC$183,510
- San Jose, CA$180,170
- Ocala, FL$176,450
- San Luis Obispo, CA$172,040
- Sarasota, FL$167,860
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Sales Engineers salary in San Jose: questions
How much do sales engineers make an hour in San Jose?
$86.62 an hour on average, and $85.33 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level sales engineers salary in San Jose?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $100,830 a year and the 25th percentile is $141,930, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the sales engineers take-home pay in San Jose?
About $121,748 a year ($10,146 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $180,170. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do sales engineers earn more in San Jose than elsewhere?
The average here is 38% more than the U.S. average for this job ($130,140).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 41-9031; area San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA (41940). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.9%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 4.24, this job is 4.2 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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