Cooks, Short Order pay range in San Jose
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $40,250 a year or less, while the top 10% make $50,890 or more. The middle half of cooks, short order in San Jose earn between $43,010 and $46,990.
- $40K10th
- $43K25th
- $46KMedian
- $47K75th
- $51K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $45,720 | $3,810 | $21.98 |
| Median | $45,990 | $3,832 | $22.11 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $43,010 | $3,584 | $20.68 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $46,990 | $3,916 | $22.59 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Short Order pay in San Jose vs. California and the U.S.
Cooks, short order in San Jose earn 8% more than the California average ($42,260) and 27% more than the U.S. average ($36,120). At the median the gap is +28% against the U.S. median of $35,880.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose | $45,720 | $45,990 | $40,250 | $50,890 | 1,660 |
| California | $42,260 | $42,930 | $35,880 | $47,150 | 30,740 |
| United States | $36,120 | $35,880 | $23,440 | $46,460 | 138,650 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Cooks, Short Order salary after taxes in San Jose
On the average salary of $45,720, a single filer in San Jose takes home about $37,952 a year, or $3,163 a month and $1,460 every two weeks. Taxes take 17% 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 cooks, short order? 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 $45,720 buys what about $41,404 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.5 times the median wage of all jobs in San Jose ($84,050). A typical home costs $1,610,466, or 35.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Short Order salary in other California cities
San Jose ranks 2nd of 24 California metro areas for this job; San Francisco pays the most ($46,250).
- San Francisco$46,250
- San Jose$45,720
- Santa Rosa$45,590
- Napa$44,260
- Vallejo$44,070
- Los Angeles$42,440
- Salinas$41,920
- Oxnard$41,900
- Sacramento$41,130
- Santa Cruz$41,130
Highest-paying cities for cooks, short order
Kahului, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($52,560).
- Kahului, HI$52,560
- Denver, CO$51,530
- Seattle, WA$49,560
- Corvallis, OR$48,580
- San Francisco, CA$46,250
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Cooks, Short Order salary in San Jose: questions
How much do cooks, short order make an hour in San Jose?
$21.98 an hour on average, and $22.11 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, short order salary in San Jose?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $40,250 a year and the 25th percentile is $43,010, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, short order take-home pay in San Jose?
About $37,952 a year ($3,163 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $45,720. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do cooks, short order earn more in San Jose than elsewhere?
The average here is 27% more than the U.S. average for this job ($36,120).
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 35-2015; area San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA (41940). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.6%.
- 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 1.64, this job is 1.6 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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