Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Bakersfield, CA

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Bakersfield-Delano, CA

Median annual salary $37,630 +2.2% vs national
Median hourly $18.09
10th percentile $34,080
90th percentile $45,730
Employed locally 2,240
National median $36,830

Compare Cooks, Restaurant salary & buying power

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

Full tool →
Cooks, Restaurant
in
Bakersfield, CA
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $34,080
    25th
    $35,480
    50th (median)
    $37,630
    75th
    $43,020
    90th
    $45,730

    Bakersfield economic context

    Unemployment rate 8.60% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $67,660 2023 • Census ACS
    Cooks, Restaurant salary vs area income 56% Median Cooks, Restaurant salary is 44% below the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Cooks, Restaurant

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Kahului-Wailuku, HI $48,320
    Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $46,970
    Portland-South Portland, ME $46,960
    San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $46,960
    Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area $46,500
    Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area $46,340

    Nearby metros — Cooks, Restaurant salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $46,970
    San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $46,960
    Napa, CA $46,270
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $45,230
    San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $45,040
    Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $45,020

    Related occupations in Bakersfield, CA

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers $36,440
    Waiters and Waitresses $33,350
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $45,080
    Cooks, Fast Food $35,620
    Food Preparation Workers $35,720
    Dishwashers $34,780

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Cooks, Restaurant make per hour in Bakersfield?

    The median hourly wage for Cooks, Restaurant in Bakersfield, CA is $18.09, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $22.18 or more per hour.

    Is Bakersfield above or below average for Cooks, Restaurant salaries?

    The median Cooks, Restaurant salary in Bakersfield, CA is 2.2% above the national median of $36,830. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Cooks, Restaurant in Bakersfield?

    Entry-level Cooks, Restaurant (10th percentile) earn around $34,080 per year in Bakersfield, CA. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $35,480.