Cooks, Short Order · California

Cooks, Short Order Salary in California

Cooks, Short Order in California earn a median annual wage of $42,930 —19.6% above the national median of $35,880. That ranks CA #5 of 49 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$42,930
Median hourly
$20.64
Entry level (P10)
$35,880
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$47,150
90th percentile
Employment
30,740
1.7 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
+19.6%
U.S. $35,880

Wage distribution

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

10th percentile90th percentile
$35,880
$38,250
$42,930
$45,020
$35,880$42,930$47,150
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $42,930.

Employment is 1.89× as concentrated as the national average, making California a strong market for this occupation.

Highest-paying states for cooks, short order

All 49 states ranked by median annual wage. California is highlighted.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmploymentLocation quotient
1Arizona$46,630$22.421,8800.65
2Rhode Island$46,250$22.24——
3Massachusetts$44,290$21.294,7601.47
4Hawaii$43,110$20.734600.83
5California$42,930$20.6430,7401.89
6Washington$42,760$20.561,7000.54
7District of Columbia$42,450$20.411,9103.05
8Connecticut$42,450$20.41——
9Colorado$42,450$20.411,9000.74
10New Jersey$40,720$19.588500.22

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, short order make in California?

The median annual wage for cooks, short order in California is $42,930, or $20.64 per hour. That is 19.6% above the national median of $35,880.

What is the entry-level cooks, short order salary in California?

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $35,880 per year ($17.25/hour). The 25th percentile is $38,250.

How many people work as cooks, short order in California?

About 30,740 people work in this occupation in California, or 1.7 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is California a good state for cooks, short order?

California ranks #5 of 49 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment is 1.89x as concentrated as the national average, making California a strong market for this occupation.

Which state pays cooks, short order the most?

Arizona has the highest median wage at $46,630 per year, followed by Rhode Island ($46,250) and Massachusetts ($44,290).

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