Cooks, Restaurant salary in California
Cooks, Restaurant in California earn a median of $44,880 a year ($21.58 an hour), based on BLS data for 152,250 workers.
Pay ranges from $37,100 for the lowest-paid 10% to $55,580 for the top 10%. That is 20% higher than the national median of $37,390. California ranks 7th of 51 states for cooks, restaurant pay. There are 8.4 cooks, restaurant per 1,000 jobs here — close to the national average. The average (mean) salary is $45,020, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for cooks, restaurant in California
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $37,100 | $17.84 |
| 25th percentile | $38,590 | $18.55 |
| Median | $44,880 | $21.58 |
| 75th percentile | $47,330 | $22.76 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $55,580 | $26.72 |
| Average (mean) | $45,020 | $21.65 |
Half of cooks, restaurant 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 | $3,740 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,870 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,726.15 |
| Weekly | $863.08 |
| Hourly | $21.58 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in cities in California
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Napa, CA | $47,320 | 1,270 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $47,170 | 8,900 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $46,440 | 15,670 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $46,030 | 20,540 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $45,720 | 2,340 |
| Salinas, CA | $44,930 | 1,910 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $44,560 | 1,020 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $44,460 | 54,320 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $44,230 | 9,240 |
| Vallejo, CA | $44,100 | 1,020 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $43,340 | 2,300 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $43,220 | 1,640 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $42,450 | 14,280 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $42,060 | 3,000 |
| Modesto, CA | $41,910 | 1,300 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $41,170 | 1,560 |
| Yuba City, CA | $39,160 | 400 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $38,810 | 260 |
| Merced, CA | $38,480 | 410 |
| Fresno, CA | $38,260 | 2,980 |
| Redding, CA | $38,200 | 500 |
| Chico, CA | $37,980 | 600 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $37,800 | 2,100 |
| El Centro, CA | $37,710 | 380 |
| Visalia, CA | $37,090 | 1,000 |
Highest-paying states for cooks, restaurant
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $46,800 |
| District of Columbia | $46,130 |
| Massachusetts | $45,600 |
| Hawaii | $45,420 |
| Vermont | $45,390 |
| Maine | $45,290 |
| California | $44,880 |
| New York | $43,680 |
| Oregon | $43,100 |
| Colorado | $41,600 |
Related jobs in California
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Cooks, Fast Food | $42,050 | $20.21 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $39,350 | $18.92 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $46,390 | $22.31 |
| Cooks, Short Order | $42,930 | $20.64 |
| Cooks, All Other | $42,860 | $20.61 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $42,280 | $20.33 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $36,080 | $17.35 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $46,980 | $22.59 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $36,010 | $17.31 |
| Dishwasher | $37,870 | $18.21 |
| Bartender | $36,220 | $17.41 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $36,640 | $17.62 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $39,010 | $18.75 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $64,500 | $31.01 |
More: Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations · all salaries in California
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 35-2014. 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, restaurant make in California?
The median salary for cooks, restaurant in California is $44,880 a year, or $21.58 an hour. Pay ranges from $37,100 for the lowest-paid 10% to $55,580 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid cooks, restaurant make in California?
The top 10% of cooks, restaurant in California earn at least $55,580 a year. The top 25% earn $47,330 or more.
What is the starting pay for cooks, restaurant in California?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $37,100 a year, and a quarter of cooks, restaurant earn $38,590 or less.
How many cooks, restaurant work in California?
About 152,250 cooks, restaurant are employed in California, not counting the self-employed.