Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Santa Cruz, CA

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA

Median annual salary $42,460 +15.3% vs national
Median hourly $20.41
10th percentile $37,120
90th percentile $49,300
Employed locally 1,130
National median $36,830

Compare Cooks, Restaurant salary & buying power

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Cooks, Restaurant
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Santa Cruz, CA
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $37,120
    25th
    $38,310
    50th (median)
    $42,460
    75th
    $45,750
    90th
    $49,300

    Santa Cruz economic context

    Unemployment rate 5.90% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $109,266 2023 • Census ACS
    Cooks, Restaurant salary vs area income 39% Median Cooks, Restaurant salary is 61% 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 Santa Cruz, CA

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers $37,300
    Waiters and Waitresses $35,270
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $46,980
    Cooks, Fast Food $37,670
    Food Preparation Workers $37,010
    Bartenders $35,440

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Cooks, Restaurant make per hour in Santa Cruz?

    The median hourly wage for Cooks, Restaurant in Santa Cruz, CA is $20.41, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $23.96 or more per hour.

    Is Santa Cruz above or below average for Cooks, Restaurant salaries?

    The median Cooks, Restaurant salary in Santa Cruz, CA is 15.3% 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 Santa Cruz?

    Entry-level Cooks, Restaurant (10th percentile) earn around $37,120 per year in Santa Cruz, CA. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $38,310.