Cooks, Restaurant Salary in California
As of May 2025, the median annual wage for cooks, restaurant in California was $44,880 +20.0% vs national
California vs United States
| California | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual | $44,880 | $37,390 |
| Median hourly | $21.58 | $17.98 |
| Employment | 152,250 | 1,409,890 |
| Location quotient | 0.92 | 1.00 |
Data source: BLS OES state file (California) · U.S. BLS OES survey, May 2025
What this means
The median wage in California is 20.0% above the national median — a difference of about $7,490 per year for a typical worker.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average cooks, restaurant salary in California?
The median annual wage in California is $44,880 ($21.58 per hour), per BLS OES May 2025 data.
How does California compare to the national average for cooks, restaurant?
The California median of $44,880 is 20.0% higher than the U.S. median of $37,390.
How many cooks, restaurant work in California?
Approximately 152,250 are employed in California, per BLS OES.