How much does a cook make in San Jose?
$47,220a year
Median yearly pay for cooks in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area. That is $22.70 an hour or $3,935 a month.
- Hourly
- $22.70
- Vs. national median
- +53%
- Rank among cities
- 1 of 308
- Jobs in the area
- 4,790
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $38,210Median: $47,220Highest 10%: $50,850
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $38,210 | $18.37 | |
| 25th | $42,320 | $20.35 | |
| Median | $47,220 | $22.70 | |
| 75th | $49,900 | $23.99 | |
| 90th | $50,850 | $24.45 |
Other cities in California
Median yearly pay for cooks.
| San Francisco, CA | $46,670 |
| Napa, CA | $45,300 |
| Vallejo, CA | $44,450 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $43,840 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $43,630 |
| Salinas, CA | $43,120 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $42,700 |
| Oxnard, CA | $42,530 |
| Modesto, CA | $42,510 |
| Riverside, CA | $42,480 |
| San Diego, CA | $42,450 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $42,390 |
| Yuba City, CA | $42,320 |
| Sacramento, CA | $42,210 |
| Stockton, CA | $41,600 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $41,480 |
| Hanford, CA | $41,280 |
| Merced, CA | $40,430 |
| Chico, CA | $40,340 |
| El Centro, CA | $40,230 |
| Redding, CA | $39,920 |
| Visalia, CA | $39,750 |
| Fresno, CA | $39,620 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $38,000 |
Related jobs in San Jose
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Chef and Head Cook | $79,020 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Worker | $55,520 |
| Cook | $51,880 |
| Cook | $47,170 |
| Food Server | $46,210 |
| Cook | $45,990 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $45,580 |
| Cook | $44,740 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Worker | $44,720 |
| Fast Food and Counter Worker | $44,570 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cook make an hour in San Jose?
The median hourly pay in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area is $22.70 ($47,220 a year).
Do cooks make more in San Jose than the national average?
Yes: $47,220 against $30,890 nationally, 53% more.
How does San Jose compare with the rest of California?
The median in California is $42,050, so San Jose pays 12% more.
Where does San Jose rank for cook pay?
1 of 308 metro areas with data.
How much does a cook make starting out in San Jose?
The lowest-paid 10% make $38,210 or less a year; the top 10% make $50,850 or more.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.