Salary by metro
MBA-Relevant Salaries in San Jose
What the roles MBAs target actually pay in the San Jose metro area — source-labeled BLS wage benchmarks, adjusted for what it costs to live there.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2024 estimates (published April 2025)), San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA; cost-of-living from U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities by Metropolitan Statistical Area (MARPP) (2024). Occupational wage benchmarks across all workers, not MBA-specific outcomes.
- Roles benchmarked
- 18
- MBA-relevant occupations
- Median wage span
- $115,570–$291,660
- across roles
- Highest median
- $291,660
- Computer and Information Systems Managers
- Cost of living
- 110.4
- price level (U.S. = 100)
What MBA-relevant roles pay in San Jose
Median wage and cost-of-living-adjusted value for each occupation. Open a role for its full percentile range and metro ranking.
| Role (occupation) | Median annual | Cost-of-living adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Systems Managers SOC 11-3021 | $291,660 | $264,130 |
| Marketing Managers SOC 11-2021 | $231,370 | $209,531 |
| Financial Managers SOC 11-3031 | $225,280 | $204,015 |
| Human Resources Managers SOC 11-3121 | $220,460 | $199,650 |
| Sales Managers SOC 11-2022 | $201,780 | $182,734 |
| Data Scientists SOC 15-2051 | $185,080 | $167,610 |
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers SOC 11-3071 | $177,400 | $160,655 |
| Medical and Health Services Managers SOC 11-9111 | $171,210 | $155,049 |
| Industrial Production Managers SOC 11-3051 | $171,140 | $154,986 |
| General and Operations Managers SOC 11-1021 | $163,860 | $148,393 |
| Financial and Investment Analysts SOC 13-2051 | $144,910 | $131,232 |
| Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists SOC 13-1161 | $141,960 | $128,560 |
| Personal Financial Advisors SOC 13-2052 | $136,820 | $123,905 |
| Management Analysts SOC 13-1111 | $136,670 | $123,770 |
| Project Management Specialists SOC 13-1082 | $135,120 | $122,366 |
| Operations Research Analysts SOC 15-2031 | $123,360 | $111,716 |
| Accountants and Auditors SOC 13-2011 | $121,700 | $110,213 |
| Logisticians SOC 13-1081 | $115,570 | $104,661 |
Compare other metros
Cost of living and San Jose pay
Nominal wages in the San Jose area reflect its industry mix and cost of living. A higher headline number in an expensive metro does not automatically mean a better financial outcome — housing and everyday costs claim more of it. Each role page shows the cost-of-living-adjusted figure so you can compare purchasing power, not just headline pay.
Frequently asked questions
What do MBA-relevant roles pay in San Jose?
Across the 18 MBA-relevant occupations benchmarked for the San Jose metro area, median annual wages span roughly $115,570 to $291,660. These are BLS OEWS occupational wage benchmarks across all workers, not MBA-graduate-specific outcomes. The highest-median role here is Computer and Information Systems Managers at $291,660.
Is San Jose an expensive place to earn these salaries?
The San Jose area overall price level is 110.4 against a U.S. average of 100 — above average, so nominal wages there buy less than the headline suggests. Each role page shows the cost-of-living-adjusted figure.
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Every figure on SalaryMBA is source-labeled. See our methodology for how we source and gate data.