Cooks, Fast Food salary in El Centro, CA
Cooks, Fast Food in the El Centro, CA metro area earn a median of $40,230 a year ($19.34 an hour), based on BLS data for 330 workers.
Pay ranges from $36,480 for the lowest-paid 10% to $42,490 for the top 10%. That is 30% higher than the national median of $30,890. Pay here is 4% lower than the California statewide median of $42,050. There are 5.1 cooks, fast food per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 1.2× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $40,360, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for cooks, fast food in El Centro, CA
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $36,480 | $17.54 |
| 25th percentile | $38,150 | $18.34 |
| Median | $40,230 | $19.34 |
| 75th percentile | $41,860 | $20.13 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $42,490 | $20.43 |
| Average (mean) | $40,360 | $19.40 |
Half of cooks, fast food earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $3,352.50 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,676.25 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,547.31 |
| Weekly | $773.65 |
| Hourly | $19.34 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Cooks, Fast Food salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $47,220 | 4,790 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $46,670 | 10,160 |
| Napa, CA | $45,300 | 370 |
| Vallejo, CA | $44,450 | 1,150 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $43,840 | 1,050 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $43,630 | 710 |
| Salinas, CA | $43,120 | 1,100 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $42,700 | 1,430 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $42,530 | 2,520 |
| Modesto, CA | $42,510 | 1,620 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $42,480 | 16,910 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $42,450 | 10,630 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $42,390 | 850 |
| Yuba City, CA | $42,320 | 390 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $42,210 | 8,020 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $41,600 | 2,260 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $41,480 | 2,450 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $41,280 | 450 |
| Merced, CA | $40,430 | 660 |
| Chico, CA | $40,340 | 580 |
| Redding, CA | $39,920 | 470 |
| Visalia, CA | $39,750 | 1,410 |
| Fresno, CA | $39,620 | 3,910 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $38,000 | 48,440 |
Highest-paying states for cooks, fast food
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $48,120 |
| District of Columbia | $44,670 |
| California | $42,050 |
| Washington | $39,120 |
| New Hampshire | $38,590 |
| Vermont | $38,230 |
| Oregon | $37,880 |
| Massachusetts | $37,870 |
| Colorado | $36,900 |
| Maine | $36,350 |
See Cooks, Fast Food pay in every state or the California statewide figures.
Related jobs in El Centro, CA
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Cooks, Restaurant | $37,710 | $18.13 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $38,610 | $18.56 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $40,980 | $19.70 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $38,840 | $18.68 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $34,320 | $16.50 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $45,600 | $21.92 |
| Dishwasher | $34,990 | $16.82 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $34,320 | $16.50 |
| Bartender | $34,620 | $16.64 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $34,320 | $16.50 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $35,590 | $17.11 |
More: Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations · all salaries in El Centro, CA
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 35-2011. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, fast food make in El Centro, CA?
The median salary for cooks, fast food in the El Centro, CA metro area is $40,230 a year, or $19.34 an hour. Pay ranges from $36,480 for the lowest-paid 10% to $42,490 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid cooks, fast food make in El Centro, CA?
The top 10% of cooks, fast food in the El Centro, CA metro area earn at least $42,490 a year. The top 25% earn $41,860 or more.
What is the starting pay for cooks, fast food in El Centro, CA?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $36,480 a year, and a quarter of cooks, fast food earn $38,150 or less.
How many cooks, fast food work in El Centro, CA?
About 330 cooks, fast food are employed in the El Centro, CA metro area, not counting the self-employed.