Cooks, Restaurant Salary in San Jose, CA
Cooks, Restaurant in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area earn a median $47,170 a year — 26% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $38,588 take-home, or $3,216 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in San Jose, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,480
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,925
- Medicare (1.45%)$684
- California income tax$880
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$613
- Take-home pay$38,588
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 6.00% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Cooks, Restaurant pay by experience in San Jose, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $37,100 | $17.84 | $31,034 | $2,586 |
| 25th percentile | $43,970 | $21.14 | $36,190 | $3,016 |
| Median (50th) | $47,170 | $22.68 | $38,588 | $3,216 |
| 75th percentile | $55,800 | $26.83 | $44,892 | $3,741 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $63,940 | $30.74 | $50,822 | $4,235 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $47,170 buys in San Jose, CA
Prices in San Jose, CA are 10.4% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 2.12× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $38,588 take-home pay has the buying power of $34,946 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Cooks, Restaurant jobs are about as common in San Jose, CA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.86).
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
San Jose, CA ranks #4 of 101 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spokane, WA | $44,230 | $37,719 | $37,589 |
| 2 | Portland, ME | $46,560 | $37,630 | $36,943 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $47,730 | $40,531 | $36,471 |
| 4 | San Jose, CA | $47,170 | $38,588 | $34,946 |
| 5 | Worcester, MA | $44,250 | $35,742 | $34,863 |
| 6 | Denver, CO | $44,370 | $36,587 | $34,588 |
| 7 | Omaha, NE | $37,840 | $31,742 | $34,536 |
| 8 | Atlantic City, NJ | $40,250 | $33,830 | $34,221 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 101 metros →
About the job: cooks, restaurant
Prepare, season, and cook dishes such as soups, meats, vegetables, or desserts in restaurants. May order supplies, keep records and accounts, price items on menu, or plan menu.
- Typical education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- Less than 5 years
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +12.1% (much faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Cooks, Restaurant salaries elsewhere in California
- Sacramento, CA — $44,230
- San Diego, CA — $46,440
- Riverside, CA — $42,450
- San Francisco, CA — $46,030
- Los Angeles, CA — $44,460
- Oxnard, CA — $42,060
- Fresno, CA — $38,260
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in San Jose, CA?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area is $47,170 a year, or about $22.68 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $43,970 and $55,800.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in San Jose, CA?
On the median $47,170 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $38,588 a year ($3,216 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,493 in California taxes in 2026.
Is San Jose, CA a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 26% above the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 10.4% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $34,946 would in a typical U.S. city. San Jose, CA ranks #4 of 101 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in San Jose, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in San Jose, CA is $2,957 a month ($3,464 for two bedrooms) — 92% of a median cooks, restaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in San Jose, CA
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $55,520
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $51,880
- Cooks, Fast Food — $47,220
- Food Preparation Worker — $45,580
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $44,570
- Dishwasher — $43,960
- Bartender — $42,270
- Waiter and Waitress — $41,920
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $41,710