Cooks, Restaurant Salary in California
BLS OEWS May 2025 • 28 metro areas • California
Cooks, Restaurant in California earn a median salary of $41,324 per year on average across 28 metro and nonmetro areas, +12.2% vs the national median of $36,830. An estimated 159,700 cooks, restaurant are employed across California, with salaries ranging from $37,630 to $46,960 depending on location.
$41,324
Avg median salary in California
$46,960
Highest paying metro
$37,630
Lowest paying metro
159,700
Employed in California
Compare Cooks, Restaurant salaries & buying power
Pick two cities to see how salary and purchasing power differ.
Cooks, Restaurant
in
Cooks, Restaurant salaries by city in California
| Metro area | Median salary | 25th pct | 75th pct | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $46,960 | $44,450 | $56,560 | 8,460 |
| Napa, CA | $46,270 | $40,310 | $48,930 | 1,350 |
| San Francisco, CA | $45,230 | $43,640 | $47,920 | 22,290 |
| San Diego, CA | $45,040 | $38,460 | $47,080 | 15,380 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $45,020 | $39,230 | $48,270 | 2,470 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $44,700 | $38,020 | $47,630 | 57,770 |
| Salinas, CA | $44,490 | $38,360 | $47,930 | 2,060 |
| Vallejo, CA | $43,820 | $38,720 | $46,620 | 1,140 |
| Sacramento, CA | $43,600 | $38,120 | $46,140 | 8,570 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $43,320 | $37,900 | $46,110 | 2,320 |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California | $43,070 | $38,190 | $46,160 | 960 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $42,460 | $38,310 | $45,750 | 1,130 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $42,290 | $37,840 | $45,190 | 1,790 |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California | $42,140 | $37,560 | $45,930 | 1,030 |
| North Coast Region of California | $41,980 | $37,280 | $45,650 | 1,130 |
| Oxnard, CA | $39,300 | $37,270 | $44,940 | 3,210 |
| Modesto, CA | $38,770 | $37,470 | $44,920 | 1,550 |
| Riverside, CA | $38,600 | $36,290 | $44,730 | 16,310 |
| Yuba City, CA | $38,410 | $36,210 | $44,190 | 460 |
| Stockton, CA | $38,380 | $36,290 | $45,200 | 1,820 |
| El Centro, CA | $38,230 | $36,900 | $44,840 | 350 |
| Hanford, CA | $38,140 | $36,300 | $41,230 | 270 |
| Chico, CA | $38,020 | $36,670 | $43,090 | 670 |
| Visalia, CA | $37,970 | $35,780 | $43,430 | 970 |
| Redding, CA | $37,850 | $35,790 | $42,370 | 590 |
| Merced, CA | $37,740 | $35,840 | $42,990 | 500 |
| Fresno, CA | $37,630 | $35,720 | $42,460 | 2,910 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $37,630 | $35,480 | $43,020 | 2,240 |