Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Worker Salary in San Jose, CA
Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area earn a median $44,410 a year — 27% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $36,520 take-home, or $3,043 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
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- Federal income tax$3,149
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,753
- Medicare (1.45%)$644
- California income tax$766
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$577
- Take-home pay$36,520
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.00% state
Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Worker pay by experience in San Jose, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $40,080 | $19.27 | $33,271 | $2,773 |
| 25th percentile | $42,370 | $20.37 | $34,989 | $2,916 |
| Median (50th) | $44,410 | $21.35 | $36,520 | $3,043 |
| 75th percentile | $46,440 | $22.33 | $38,044 | $3,170 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $53,400 | $25.67 | $43,139 | $3,595 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $44,410 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 laundry and dry-cleaning worker's $36,520 take-home pay has the buying power of $33,073 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Worker jobs are less concentrated in San Jose, CA than nationally (location quotient 0.56), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for laundry and dry-cleaning workers, adjusted for cost of living
San Jose, CA ranks #2 of 76 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $43,610 | $37,221 | $33,492 |
| 2 | San Jose, CA | $44,410 | $36,520 | $33,073 |
| 3 | Greensboro, NC | $36,310 | $30,415 | $32,752 |
| 4 | Madison, WI | $37,260 | $31,260 | $32,132 |
| 5 | Des Moines, IA | $34,380 | $29,150 | $31,788 |
| 6 | Grand Rapids, MI | $36,620 | $30,299 | $31,711 |
| 7 | Nashville, TN | $35,070 | $30,359 | $31,513 |
| 8 | Milwaukee, WI | $36,310 | $30,538 | $31,503 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 76 metros →
Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Worker salaries elsewhere in California
- San Francisco, CA — $43,310
- Fresno, CA — $36,740
- Sacramento, CA — $38,080
- Riverside, CA — $37,050
- San Diego, CA — $38,910
- Los Angeles, CA — $37,330
Frequently asked questions
How much does a laundry and dry-cleaning worker make in San Jose, CA?
The median laundry and dry-cleaning worker salary in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area is $44,410 a year, or about $21.35 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $42,370 and $46,440.
What is a laundry and dry-cleaning worker’s take-home pay in San Jose, CA?
On the median $44,410 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $36,520 a year ($3,043 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,343 in California taxes in 2026.
Is San Jose, CA a good place to work as a laundry and dry-cleaning worker?
Pay here is 27% above the national median of $34,890. Local prices are 10.4% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $33,073 would in a typical U.S. city. San Jose, CA ranks #2 of 76 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a laundry and dry-cleaning worker 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) — 97% of a median laundry and dry-cleaning worker’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in San Jose, CA
- Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operator — $108,190
- First-Line Supervisor of Production and Operating Workers — $89,970
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers — $64,140
- Machinist — $63,540
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers — $60,610
- Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator — $59,620
- Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders — $58,910
- Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers — $55,230
- Miscellaneous Assembler and Fabricator — $52,360
- Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic — $50,870
- Semiconductor Processing Technician — $50,820
- Butcher and Meat Cutter — $49,610