Lighting Technicians pay range in San Jose
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $47,780 a year or less, while the top 10% make $139,510 or more. The middle half of lighting technicians in San Jose earn between $56,880 and $90,460.
- $48K10th
- $57K25th
- $71KMedian
- $90K75th
- $140K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $80,480 | $6,707 | $38.69 |
| Median | $70,970 | $5,914 | $34.12 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $56,880 | $4,740 | $27.35 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $90,460 | $7,538 | $43.49 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Lighting Technicians pay in San Jose vs. California and the U.S.
Lighting technicians in San Jose earn 14% less than the California average ($93,240) and about the same as the U.S. average ($78,380). At the median the gap is +4% against the U.S. median of $68,060.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose | $80,480 | $70,970 | $47,780 | $139,510 | 70 |
| California | $93,240 | $94,070 | $50,910 | $159,610 | 2,950 |
| United States | $78,380 | $68,060 | $42,310 | $130,760 | 8,900 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Lighting Technicians salary after taxes in San Jose
On the average salary of $80,480, a single filer in San Jose takes home about $62,055 a year, or $5,171 a month and $2,387 every two weeks. Taxes take 23% 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 lighting technicians? 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 $80,480 buys what about $72,883 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in San Jose ($84,050). A typical home costs $1,610,466, or 20.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Lighting Technicians salary in other California cities
San Jose ranks 3rd of 6 California metro areas for this job; Los Angeles pays the most ($101,180).
- Los Angeles$101,180
- San Francisco$89,610
- San Jose$80,480
- San Diego$61,460
- Riverside$59,170
- Sacramento$57,580
Highest-paying cities for lighting technicians
Seattle, WA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($131,060).
- Seattle, WA$131,060
- Los Angeles, CA$101,180
- New York, NY$92,420
- San Francisco, CA$89,610
- Nashville, TN$85,710
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Lighting Technicians salary in San Jose: questions
How much do lighting technicians make an hour in San Jose?
$38.69 an hour on average, and $34.12 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level lighting technicians salary in San Jose?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $47,780 a year and the 25th percentile is $56,880, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the lighting technicians take-home pay in San Jose?
About $62,055 a year ($5,171 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $80,480. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do lighting technicians earn more in San Jose than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as the U.S. average for this job ($78,380).
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 27-4015; area San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA (41940). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 6.4%.
- 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 1.02, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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