Cooks, Fast Food Salary in Riverside, CA

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

Median annual salary $35,110 +16.4% vs national
Median hourly $16.88
10th percentile $33,720
90th percentile $43,740
Employed locally 17,370
National median $30,160

Compare Cooks, Fast Food salary & buying power

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

Full tool →
Cooks, Fast Food
in
Riverside, CA
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $33,720
    25th
    $34,230
    50th (median)
    $35,110
    75th
    $42,970
    90th
    $43,740

    Riverside economic context

    Unemployment rate 5.20% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $86,031 2023 • Census ACS
    Cooks, Fast Food salary vs area income 41% Median Cooks, Fast Food salary is 59% below the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Cooks, Fast Food

    Metro areaMedian salary
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $41,980
    San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $41,800
    Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $40,580
    Hawaii $40,300
    Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $39,260
    Napa, CA $39,210

    Nearby metros — Cooks, Fast Food salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $41,980
    San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $41,800
    Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $39,260
    Napa, CA $39,210
    Vallejo, CA $39,110
    Salinas, CA $37,960

    Related occupations in Riverside, CA

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers $36,250
    Waiters and Waitresses $34,350
    Cooks, Restaurant $38,600
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $43,870
    Food Preparation Workers $37,990
    Dishwashers $35,570

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Cooks, Fast Food make per hour in Riverside?

    The median hourly wage for Cooks, Fast Food in Riverside, CA is $16.88, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $21.19 or more per hour.

    Is Riverside above or below average for Cooks, Fast Food salaries?

    The median Cooks, Fast Food salary in Riverside, CA is 16.4% above the national median of $30,160. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Cooks, Fast Food in Riverside?

    Entry-level Cooks, Fast Food (10th percentile) earn around $33,720 per year in Riverside, CA. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $34,230.