Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Salinas, CA

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Salinas, CA

Median annual salary $44,490 +20.8% vs national
Median hourly $21.39
10th percentile $37,060
90th percentile $54,200
Employed locally 2,060
National median $36,830

Compare Cooks, Restaurant salary & buying power

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

Full tool →
Cooks, Restaurant
in
Salinas, CA
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $37,060
    25th
    $38,360
    50th (median)
    $44,490
    75th
    $47,930
    90th
    $54,200

    Salinas economic context

    Unemployment rate 7.30% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $94,486 2023 • Census ACS
    Cooks, Restaurant salary vs area income 47% Median Cooks, Restaurant salary is 53% 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 Salinas, CA

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers$37,440
    Waiters and Waitresses$35,390
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$47,460
    Cooks, Fast Food$37,960
    Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers$35,360
    Dishwashers$36,910

    Frequently asked questions

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

    The median hourly wage for Cooks, Restaurant in Salinas, CA is $21.39, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $27.88 or more per hour.

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

    The median Cooks, Restaurant salary in Salinas, CA is 20.8% 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 Salinas?

    Entry-level Cooks, Restaurant (10th percentile) earn around $37,060 per year in Salinas, CA. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $38,360.