Paycheck Atlas

Physicists salary in San Jose, CA

The median physicists in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA earns $173,450 a year, about the same as the US median. After tax that is roughly $9,806 a month.

10th percentile
$122,840
25th percentile
$150,460
Median percentile
$173,450
75th percentile
$226,750
90th percentile
$302,040

Based on 440 employed. Data period: BLS OEWS May 2025. Percentiles show the spread of pay, not experience; reading the 25th percentile as "entry level" is only an approximation.

What you keep

$117,678 take-home a year
Gross pay$173,450
Federal income tax−$30,362
Social Security + Medicare−$13,269
California income tax (approx.)−$12,142
Monthly take-home$9,806
Every two weeks$4,526

Does it go far here?

$157,078Median pay in San Jose, CA is worth this at average US prices (local price level 110.4 vs 100).
29%of take-home pay goes to the median rent ($2,840 a month, Census ACS).

Top-paying jobs in San Jose, CA

JobMedian pay
Family Medicine Physicians$351,760
Lawyers$301,320
Computer and Information Systems Managers$291,660
Natural Sciences Managers$263,810
Architectural and Engineering Managers$234,590
Nurse Practitioners$231,560
Marketing Managers$231,370
Training and Development Managers$230,020

All physicists salaries · Take-home pay in California