Cooks, Short Order Salary in Santa Cruz, CA

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

Median annual salary $36,900 +3.6% vs national
Median hourly $17.74
10th percentile $35,040
90th percentile $45,460
Employed locally 220
National median $35,620

Compare Cooks, Short Order salary & buying power

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Cooks, Short Order
in
Santa Cruz, CA
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $35,040
    25th
    $36,190
    50th (median)
    $36,900
    75th
    $41,320
    90th
    $45,460

    Santa Cruz economic context

    Unemployment rate 5.90% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $109,266 2023 • Census ACS
    Cooks, Short Order salary vs area income 34% Median Cooks, Short Order salary is 66% below the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Cooks, Short Order

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Kahului-Wailuku, HI $48,970
    Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $48,700
    Barnstable Town, MA $46,830
    Arizona $46,240
    Washington $46,010
    Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $46,010

    Nearby metros — Cooks, Short Order salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $44,270
    Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $43,610
    Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $43,570
    San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $42,310
    Napa, CA $39,650
    Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $39,010

    Related occupations in Santa Cruz, CA

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers $37,300
    Waiters and Waitresses $35,270
    Cooks, Restaurant $42,460
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $46,980
    Cooks, Fast Food $37,670
    Food Preparation Workers $37,010

    Frequently asked questions

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

    The median hourly wage for Cooks, Short Order in Santa Cruz, CA is $17.74, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $22.18 or more per hour.

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

    The median Cooks, Short Order salary in Santa Cruz, CA is 3.6% above 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 Santa Cruz?

    Entry-level Cooks, Short Order (10th percentile) earn around $35,040 per year in Santa Cruz, CA. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $36,190.