Paycheck Atlas

Chefs and Head Cooks salary in San Jose, CA

The median chefs and head cooks in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA earns $79,020 a year, 26% above the US median. After tax that is roughly $4,907 a month.

10th percentile
$46,590
25th percentile
$56,390
Median percentile
$79,020
75th percentile
$97,240
90th percentile
$117,340

Based on 1,280 employed. Data period: BLS OEWS May 2025. Percentiles show the spread of pay, not experience; reading the 25th percentile as "entry level" is only an approximation.

What you keep

$58,889 take-home a year
Gross pay$79,020
Federal income tax−$8,554
Social Security + Medicare−$6,045
California income tax (approx.)−$5,531
Monthly take-home$4,907
Every two weeks$2,265

Does it go far here?

$71,561Median pay in San Jose, CA is worth this at average US prices (local price level 110.4 vs 100).
58%of take-home pay goes to the median rent ($2,840 a month, Census ACS).

Top-paying jobs in San Jose, CA

JobMedian pay
Family Medicine Physicians$351,760
Lawyers$301,320
Computer and Information Systems Managers$291,660
Natural Sciences Managers$263,810
Architectural and Engineering Managers$234,590
Nurse Practitioners$231,560
Marketing Managers$231,370
Training and Development Managers$230,020

All chefs and head cooks salaries · Take-home pay in California