Cooks, Short Order salary in Salinas, CA
Cooks, Short Order in the Salinas, CA metro area earn a median of $40,550 a year ($19.49 an hour), based on BLS data for 260 workers.
Pay ranges from $36,080 for the lowest-paid 10% to $45,720 for the top 10%. That is 13% higher than the national median of $35,880. Pay here is 6% lower than the California statewide median of $42,930. There are 1.4 cooks, short order per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 1.6× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $41,920, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for cooks, short order in Salinas, CA
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $36,080 | $17.35 |
| 25th percentile | $37,870 | $18.21 |
| Median | $40,550 | $19.49 |
| 75th percentile | $44,980 | $21.62 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $45,720 | $21.98 |
| Average (mean) | $41,920 | $20.16 |
Half of cooks, short order 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 | $3,379.17 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,689.58 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,559.62 |
| Weekly | $779.81 |
| Hourly | $19.49 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Cooks, Short Order salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $46,450 | 700 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $45,990 | 1,660 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $45,790 | 4,430 |
| Vallejo, CA | $45,360 | 240 |
| Napa, CA | $43,930 | 150 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $43,680 | 12,410 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $42,990 | n/a |
| Yuba City, CA | $42,400 | 80 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $39,300 | 60 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $39,140 | 210 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $38,490 | 330 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $38,480 | 1,800 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $38,340 | 360 |
| Fresno, CA | $38,280 | 930 |
| Modesto, CA | $38,260 | 370 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $38,020 | 320 |
| Visalia, CA | $37,940 | 280 |
| Chico, CA | $37,700 | 190 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $37,490 | 390 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $37,300 | 1,830 |
| Redding, CA | $36,730 | 100 |
| Merced, CA | $36,240 | 140 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $35,610 | 2,280 |
Highest-paying states for cooks, short order
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Arizona | $46,630 |
| Rhode Island | $46,250 |
| Massachusetts | $44,290 |
| Hawaii | $43,110 |
| California | $42,930 |
| Washington | $42,760 |
| Colorado | $42,450 |
| Connecticut | $42,450 |
| District of Columbia | $42,450 |
| New Jersey | $40,720 |
See Cooks, Short Order pay in every state or the California statewide figures.
Related jobs in Salinas, CA
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Cooks, Restaurant | $44,930 | $21.60 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $38,480 | $18.50 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | $43,120 | $20.73 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $46,820 | $22.51 |
| Cooks, All Other | $39,640 | $19.06 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $43,260 | $20.80 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $35,540 | $17.09 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $48,220 | $23.18 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $35,600 | $17.11 |
| Dishwasher | $37,350 | $17.96 |
| Bartender | $36,350 | $17.48 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $36,380 | $17.49 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $38,660 | $18.59 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $72,440 | $34.83 |
More: Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations · all salaries in Salinas, CA
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 35-2015. 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, short order make in Salinas, CA?
The median salary for cooks, short order in the Salinas, CA metro area is $40,550 a year, or $19.49 an hour. Pay ranges from $36,080 for the lowest-paid 10% to $45,720 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid cooks, short order make in Salinas, CA?
The top 10% of cooks, short order in the Salinas, CA metro area earn at least $45,720 a year. The top 25% earn $44,980 or more.
What is the starting pay for cooks, short order in Salinas, CA?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $36,080 a year, and a quarter of cooks, short order earn $37,870 or less.
How many cooks, short order work in Salinas, CA?
About 260 cooks, short order are employed in the Salinas, CA metro area, not counting the self-employed.