Cooks, Fast Food pay range in San Jose
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,210 a year or less, while the top 10% make $50,850 or more. The middle half of cooks, fast food in San Jose earn between $42,320 and $49,900.
- $38K10th
- $42K25th
- $47KMedian
- $50K75th
- $51K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $46,530 | $3,878 | $22.37 |
| Median | $47,220 | $3,935 | $22.70 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $42,320 | $3,527 | $20.35 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $49,900 | $4,158 | $23.99 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Fast Food pay in San Jose vs. California and the U.S.
Cooks, fast food in San Jose earn 12% more than the California average ($41,490) and 44% more than the U.S. average ($32,390). At the median the gap is +53% against the U.S. median of $30,890.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose | $46,530 | $47,220 | $38,210 | $50,850 | 4,790 |
| California | $41,490 | $42,050 | $35,750 | $48,750 | 124,440 |
| United States | $32,390 | $30,890 | $22,580 | $42,910 | 641,070 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Cooks, Fast Food salary after taxes in San Jose
On the average salary of $46,530, a single filer in San Jose takes home about $38,570 a year, or $3,214 a month and $1,483 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, fast food? 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 $46,530 buys what about $42,138 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in San Jose ($84,050). A typical home costs $1,610,466, or 34.6 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Fast Food salary in other California cities
San Jose ranks 2nd of 25 California metro areas for this job; San Francisco pays the most ($46,590).
- San Francisco$46,590
- San Jose$46,530
- Vallejo$44,360
- Napa$43,910
- Santa Rosa$43,620
- Santa Maria$42,120
- Santa Cruz$42,030
- Salinas$41,940
- Modesto$41,900
- San Diego$41,710
Highest-paying cities for cooks, fast food
San Francisco, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($46,590).
- San Francisco, CA$46,590
- San Jose, CA$46,530
- Vallejo, CA$44,360
- Napa, CA$43,910
- Seattle, WA$43,770
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Cooks, Fast Food salary in San Jose: questions
How much do cooks, fast food make an hour in San Jose?
$22.37 an hour on average, and $22.70 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, fast food salary in San Jose?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,210 a year and the 25th percentile is $42,320, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, fast food take-home pay in San Jose?
About $38,570 a year ($3,214 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $46,530. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do cooks, fast food earn more in San Jose than elsewhere?
The average here is 44% more than the U.S. average for this job ($32,390).
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 35-2011; area San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA (41940). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.1%.
- 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 1.02, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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