Cooks, All Other · California

Cooks, All Other Salary in California

Cooks, All Other in California earn a median annual wage of $42,860 —13.7% above the national median of $37,690. That ranks CA #11 of 33 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$42,860
Median hourly
$20.61
Entry level (P10)
$37,040
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$50,940
90th percentile
Employment
3,990
0.2 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
+13.7%
U.S. $37,690

Wage distribution

How earnings are spread across workers in this occupation, from the 10th to the 90th percentile.

10th percentile90th percentile
$37,040
$38,350
$42,860
$46,030
$37,040$42,860$50,940
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $42,860.

Employment is 1.76× as concentrated as the national average, making California a strong market for this occupation.

Highest-paying states for cooks, all other

All 33 states ranked by median annual wage. California is highlighted.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmploymentLocation quotient
1Massachusetts$69,570$33.45——
2Washington$52,510$25.251400.32
3Nevada$51,220$24.633201.65
4New Jersey$46,080$22.152800.52
5Indiana$44,290$21.30300.09
6North Dakota$44,190$21.25601.10
7Missouri$43,990$21.15700.19
8Colorado$43,490$20.911000.27
9New York$43,000$20.671,0900.91
10Georgia$42,960$20.653400.57

Related occupations in California

Occupations in the same job family, compared within California.

OccupationCalifornia medianU.S. median
Fast Food and Counter Workers$42,280$31,200
Waiters and Waitresses$36,080$35,230
Cooks, Restaurant$44,880$37,390
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$46,980$44,080
Food Preparation Workers$39,350$35,320
Bartenders$36,220$34,340

Frequently asked questions

How much do cooks, all other make in California?

The median annual wage for cooks, all other in California is $42,860, or $20.61 per hour. That is 13.7% above the national median of $37,690.

What is the entry-level cooks, all other salary in California?

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $37,040 per year ($17.81/hour). The 25th percentile is $38,350.

How many people work as cooks, all other in California?

About 3,990 people work in this occupation in California, or 0.2 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is California a good state for cooks, all other?

California ranks #11 of 33 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment is 1.76x as concentrated as the national average, making California a strong market for this occupation.

Which state pays cooks, all other the most?

Massachusetts has the highest median wage at $69,570 per year, followed by Washington ($52,510) and Nevada ($51,220).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, cross-industry estimates. Retrieved 2026-10-26. Figures are rounded by BLS to the nearest dollar (annual) and cent (hourly). Percentile wages describe the distribution of workers, not the pay range for a single job posting. bls.gov/oes