Nursing Assistant Salary in San Jose, CA
Nursing Assistants in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area earn a median $56,840 a year — 35% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $45,652 take-home, or $3,804 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median nursing assistant salary in San Jose, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$4,641
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,524
- Medicare (1.45%)$824
- California income tax$1,460
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$739
- Take-home pay$45,652
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 6.00% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Nursing Assistant pay by experience in San Jose, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $47,340 | $22.76 | $38,712 | $3,226 |
| 25th percentile | $51,870 | $24.94 | $42,022 | $3,502 |
| Median (50th) | $56,840 | $27.33 | $45,652 | $3,804 |
| 75th percentile | $67,880 | $32.63 | $53,483 | $4,457 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $77,040 | $37.04 | $59,075 | $4,923 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $56,840 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 nursing assistant's $45,652 take-home pay has the buying power of $41,343 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Nursing Assistant jobs are less concentrated in San Jose, CA than nationally (location quotient 0.51), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for nursing assistants, adjusted for cost of living
San Jose, CA ranks #1 of 113 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $56,840 | $45,652 | $41,343 |
| 2 | Spokane, WA | $47,240 | $40,137 | $39,999 |
| 3 | Des Moines, IA | $43,940 | $36,468 | $39,768 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $51,990 | $43,954 | $39,551 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $56,080 | $45,097 | $39,007 |
| 6 | Milwaukee, WI | $45,690 | $37,663 | $38,853 |
| 7 | Scranton, PA | $43,980 | $36,168 | $38,659 |
| 8 | Las Vegas, NV | $45,350 | $38,619 | $38,536 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 113 metros →
About the job: nursing assistants
Provide or assist with basic care or support under the direction of onsite licensed nursing staff. Perform duties such as monitoring of health status, feeding, bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, or ambulation of patients in a health or nursing facility. May include medication administration and other health-related tasks.
- Typical education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +2.6% (about average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Nursing Assistant salaries elsewhere in California
- San Francisco, CA — $56,080
- Sacramento, CA — $47,510
- Stockton, CA — $46,530
- Fresno, CA — $44,710
- Riverside, CA — $46,430
- San Diego, CA — $48,070
- Los Angeles, CA — $47,380
Frequently asked questions
How much does a nursing assistant make in San Jose, CA?
The median nursing assistant salary in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area is $56,840 a year, or about $27.33 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $51,870 and $67,880.
What is a nursing assistant’s take-home pay in San Jose, CA?
On the median $56,840 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $45,652 a year ($3,804 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,199 in California taxes in 2026.
Is San Jose, CA a good place to work as a nursing assistant?
Pay here is 35% above the national median of $42,260. Local prices are 10.4% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $41,343 would in a typical U.S. city. San Jose, CA ranks #1 of 113 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a nursing assistant 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) — 78% of a median nursing assistant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in San Jose, CA
- Dental Assistant — $74,600
- Medical Assistant — $61,940
- Home Health and Personal Care Aide — $37,640