Machinist Salary in San Jose, CA
Machinists in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area earn a median $63,540 a year — 8% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $50,537 take-home, or $4,211 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median machinist salary in San Jose, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$5,445
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,939
- Medicare (1.45%)$921
- California income tax$1,871
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$826
- Take-home pay$50,537
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 8.00% state
Machinist pay by experience in San Jose, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $44,350 | $21.32 | $36,475 | $3,040 |
| 25th percentile | $51,480 | $24.75 | $41,737 | $3,478 |
| Median (50th) | $63,540 | $30.55 | $50,537 | $4,211 |
| 75th percentile | $81,470 | $39.17 | $61,738 | $5,145 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $97,750 | $47.00 | $71,465 | $5,955 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $63,540 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 machinist's $50,537 take-home pay has the buying power of $45,767 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Machinist jobs are less concentrated in San Jose, CA than nationally (location quotient 0.66), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for machinists, adjusted for cost of living
San Jose, CA ranks #87 of 115 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baton Rouge, LA | $67,700 | $54,812 | $60,379 |
| 2 | New Orleans, LA | $66,990 | $54,334 | $58,678 |
| 3 | St. Cloud, MN | $62,230 | $49,474 | $56,456 |
| 4 | Kingsport, TN | $57,890 | $48,695 | $56,329 |
| 5 | Davenport, IA | $61,710 | $50,071 | $56,209 |
| 6 | Lafayette, LA | $59,830 | $48,845 | $56,009 |
| 7 | Toledo, OH | $62,190 | $51,222 | $56,008 |
| 8 | Beaumont, TX | $59,800 | $50,229 | $55,782 |
| 87 | San Jose, CA | $63,540 | $50,537 | $45,767 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 115 metros →
Machinist salaries elsewhere in California
- San Francisco, CA — $67,750
- San Diego, CA — $61,420
- Sacramento, CA — $57,900
- Oxnard, CA — $56,530
- Los Angeles, CA — $55,660
- Riverside, CA — $49,440
Frequently asked questions
How much does a machinist make in San Jose, CA?
The median machinist salary in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area is $63,540 a year, or about $30.55 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $51,480 and $81,470.
What is a machinist’s take-home pay in San Jose, CA?
On the median $63,540 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $50,537 a year ($4,211 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,697 in California taxes in 2026.
Is San Jose, CA a good place to work as a machinist?
Pay here is 8% above the national median of $58,750. Local prices are 10.4% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $45,767 would in a typical U.S. city. San Jose, CA ranks #87 of 115 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a machinist 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) — 70% of a median machinist’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
- 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
- Production Workers, All Other — $49,450