The average salary for a restaurant cook in California is around $27,765 per year.
Avg Salary
Restaurant cooks earn an average yearly salary of $27,765.
Wages typically start from $22,180 and go up to $34,757.
62% below national average Updated in 2018
Restaurant cook earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level restaurant cook earnings begin at:
$16.71 per hour
$34,757 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level restaurant cook earnings begin at:
$15.02 per hour
$31,249 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level restaurant cook earnings begin at:
$13.35 per hour
$27,765 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level restaurant cook earnings begin at:
$11.86 per hour
$24,670 per year
10th percentile
Starting level restaurant cook earnings begin at:
$10.66 per hour
$22,180 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Restaurant cook salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $32,580 |
| Massachusetts | $32,430 |
| Washington | $31,950 |
| Hawaii | $31,491 |
| New Jersey | $30,870 |
| Vermont | $30,620 |
| Rhode Island | $30,130 |
| Nevada | $30,060 |
| Oregon | $29,340 |
| New Hampshire | $28,910 |
| Minnesota | $28,810 |
| Wyoming | $28,810 |
| Maine | $28,780 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | $28,630 |
| New York | $28,100 |
| North Dakota | $27,900 |
| California | $27,765 |
| Nebraska | $27,740 |
| Maryland | $27,550 |
| Delaware | $27,180 |
| Colorado | $26,929 |
| Utah | $26,900 |
| Pennsylvania | $26,510 |
| Florida | $26,434 |
| South Dakota | $26,260 |
| Texas | $25,400 |
| Wisconsin | $25,150 |
| Virginia | $24,930 |
| Montana | $24,650 |
| Tennessee | $24,370 |
| Kansas | $24,228 |
| Michigan | $24,215 |
| Missouri | $24,150 |
| New Mexico | $24,100 |
| Oklahoma | $24,000 |
| Ohio | $23,815 |
| North Carolina | $23,630 |
| Alaska | $23,427 |
| Louisiana | $23,230 |
| Connecticut | $22,971 |
| South Carolina | $22,840 |
| Illinois | $22,817 |
| West Virginia | $22,060 |
| Georgia | $21,962 |
| Arizona | $21,797 |
| Mississippi | $21,350 |
| Iowa | $21,202 |
| Alabama | $20,876 |
| Idaho | $20,777 |
| Indiana | $20,542 |
| Kentucky | $20,037 |
| Guam | $19,930 |
| Arkansas | $18,454 |
| Puerto Rico | $18,210 |
How do restaurant cook salaries compare to similar careers?
Restaurant cooks earn about the same as related careers in California. On average, they make less than dietetic technicians but more than food preparation workers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Dietetic technician salary | $32K |
| Butcher salary | $31K |
| Baker salary | $28K |
| Food batchmaker salary | $29K |
| Food server salary | $28K |
| Restaurant cook salary | $28K |
| Barista salary | $26K |
| Host and hostess salary | $26K |
| Food preparation worker salary | $24K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)