Cooks, Short Order Salary in San Jose, CA

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA

Median annual salary $42,310 +18.8% vs national
Median hourly $20.34
10th percentile $37,910
90th percentile $48,620
Employed locally 1,780
National median $35,620

Compare Cooks, Short Order salary & buying power

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Cooks, Short Order
in
San Jose, CA
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $37,910
    25th
    $39,210
    50th (median)
    $42,310
    75th
    $46,220
    90th
    $48,620

    San Jose economic context

    Unemployment rate 4.20% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $157,444 2023 • Census ACS
    Cooks, Short Order salary vs area income 27% Median Cooks, Short Order salary is 73% below the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Cooks, Short Order

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Kahului-Wailuku, HI $48,970
    Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $48,700
    Barnstable Town, MA $46,830
    Arizona $46,240
    Washington $46,010
    Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $46,010

    Nearby metros — Cooks, Short Order salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $44,270
    Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $43,610
    Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $43,570
    Napa, CA $39,650
    Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $39,010
    California $39,010

    Related occupations in San Jose, CA

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers $42,660
    Waiters and Waitresses $40,620
    Cooks, Restaurant $46,960
    Food Preparation Workers $44,120
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $55,210
    Cooks, Fast Food $41,800

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Cooks, Short Order make per hour in San Jose?

    The median hourly wage for Cooks, Short Order in San Jose, CA is $20.34, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $24.47 or more per hour.

    Is San Jose above or below average for Cooks, Short Order salaries?

    The median Cooks, Short Order salary in San Jose, CA is 18.8% above the national median of $35,620. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Cooks, Short Order in San Jose?

    Entry-level Cooks, Short Order (10th percentile) earn around $37,910 per year in San Jose, CA. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $39,210.