Chefs and Head Cooks Salary in Riverside, CA

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA

Median annual salary $62,710 +2.8% vs national
Median hourly $30.15
10th percentile $44,300
90th percentile $97,420
Employed locally 2,240
National median $60,990

Compare Chefs and Head Cooks salary & buying power

Type a city below to see how Riverside, CA stacks up on salary and cost of living.

Full tool →
Chefs and Head Cooks
in
Riverside, CA
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $44,300
    25th
    $50,260
    50th (median)
    $62,710
    75th
    $73,380
    90th
    $97,420

    Riverside economic context

    Unemployment rate 5.20% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $86,031 2023 • Census ACS
    Chefs and Head Cooks salary vs area income 73% Median Chefs and Head Cooks salary is 27% below the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Chefs and Head Cooks

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Kahului-Wailuku, HI $87,410
    Morgantown, WV $87,280
    Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area $85,370
    Terre Haute, IN $83,880
    East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area $81,720
    Hawaii $81,200

    Nearby metros — Chefs and Head Cooks salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $78,050
    Napa, CA $76,350
    Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $74,640
    Salinas, CA $73,260
    Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $72,220
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $71,600

    Related occupations in Riverside, CA

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers $36,250
    Waiters and Waitresses $34,350
    Cooks, Fast Food $35,110
    Cooks, Restaurant $38,600
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $43,870
    Food Preparation Workers $37,990

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Chefs and Head Cooks make per hour in Riverside?

    The median hourly wage for Chefs and Head Cooks in Riverside, CA is $30.15, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $46.38 or more per hour.

    Is Riverside above or below average for Chefs and Head Cooks salaries?

    The median Chefs and Head Cooks salary in Riverside, CA is 2.8% above the national median of $60,990. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Chefs and Head Cooks in Riverside?

    Entry-level Chefs and Head Cooks (10th percentile) earn around $44,300 per year in Riverside, CA. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $50,260.