Cooks, Short Order Salary in Merced, CA
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Merced, CA
Median annual salary
$34,200
-4% vs national
Median hourly
$16.44
10th percentile
$33,280
90th percentile
$42,660
Employed locally
130
National median
$35,620
Compare Cooks, Short Order salary & buying power
Type a city below to see how Merced, CA stacks up on salary and cost of living.
Cooks, Short Order
in
Merced, CA
vs
Salary percentile breakdown
Merced economic context
Unemployment rate
9.80%
2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
Median household income
$65,044
2023 • Census ACS
Cooks, Short Order salary vs area income
53%
Median Cooks, Short Order salary is 47% below the area median household income
Frequently asked questions
How much do Cooks, Short Order make per hour in Merced?
The median hourly wage for Cooks, Short Order in Merced, CA is $16.44, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $21.38 or more per hour.
Is Merced above or below average for Cooks, Short Order salaries?
The median Cooks, Short Order salary in Merced, CA is 4% below the national median of $35,620. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.
What is the entry-level salary for Cooks, Short Order in Merced?
Entry-level Cooks, Short Order (10th percentile) earn around $33,280 per year in Merced, CA. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $33,450.