Cook California
Cook salary in California
Typical pay
$22.00an hour
About $45,800 a year at full time
Most Cooks earn $20.00 to $25.00 an hour
From 699 current job postings, updated Nov 8, 2026 Pay that employers list in their job postings
The median Cook pay in California is $22.00 an hour. Most job postings pay $20.00 to $25.00. From 699 current job postings, updated Nov 8, 2026.
3,573 open jobs. See them
Typical pay by city in California
Back to the whole USCalifornia
$22.00 typical, most $20.00 to $25.00
| San Jose, CA | $23.50 | $20.50 to $26.00 | 53 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego, CA | $22.53 | $20.14 to $25.00 | 112 |
| San Francisco, CA | $22.33 | $19.50 to $25.00 | 90 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $21.40 | $19.50 to $23.50 | 270 |
| Sacramento, CA | $20.98 | $18.82 to $22.50 | 43 |
| Riverside, CA | $20.30 | $19.00 to $21.40 | 61 |
| Fresno, CA | $20.00 | $18.03 to $24.00 | 17 |
| Oxnard, CA | $19.45 | $18.78 to $20.50 | 15 |
| Vallejo, CA | $18.70 | $18.45 to $20.15 | 10 |
| Bakersfield, CA | – | – | 6 |
| Chico, CA | – | – | 0 |
| El Centro, CA | – | – | 0 |
| Hanford, CA | – | – | 0 |
| Merced, CA | – | – | 2 |
| Modesto, CA | – | – | 7 |
| Napa, CA | – | – | 5 |
| Redding, CA | – | – | 2 |
| Salinas, CA | – | – | 6 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | – | – | 6 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | – | – | 6 |
| Santa Maria, CA | – | – | 9 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | – | – | 8 |
| Stockton, CA | – | – | 4 |
| Visalia, CA | – | – | 4 |
| Yuba City, CA | – | – | 1 |
Pay advertised in current postings, per hour. Postings are those that list pay.
Pay by experience level
What most job postings pay at each stage. The dot is typical pay.
- Starting out 536 job postings$18.00 $22.02
Typical: $20.00
Most new hires start near the low end.
- Experienced 12 job postings$22.46 $31.25
Typical: $25.70
- Senior 1 job postings
Not enough postings yet (we show pay once 10 postings list it)
- Lead or manager 24 job postings$22.00 $25.46
Typical: $23.00
Where would you land?
Pick your level to see what most Cook job postings in California pay at it.
Starting out: most postings pay $18.00 to $22.02 an hour, typically $20.00.
Most new hires start near the low end.
Upload your resume to see where you land, which employers pay above this range, and the matching open roles.
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Pay by employer and level
Typical hourly pay at the employers with the most postings that list pay. A dash means fewer than 10 of their postings at that level list pay.
| Employer | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas Roadhouse, Inc. | $17.95 | $16.90 | – | – | – |
| Urban Plates | $19.03 | – | – | – | – |
| Redrobin | $19.00 | $17.00 | – | – | – |
See every employer's pay
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Sign up freeHow much does a Cook make in California?
Employers hiring now typically offer $22.00 an hour for Cook roles in California. These numbers come from the pay employers list in their job postings, so they show what is on offer today rather than what people earned last year. We only show a number when at least 10 postings list pay.
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