Cook San Diego, CA
Cook salary in San Diego, CA
Typical pay
$22.50an hour
About $46,800 a year at full time
Most Cooks earn $19.78 to $25.00 an hour
From 140 current job postings, updated Nov 13, 2026 Pay that employers list in their job postings
The median Cook pay in San Diego, CA is $22.50 an hour. Most job postings pay $19.78 to $25.00. From 140 current job postings, updated Nov 13, 2026.
How much does a Cook make an hour?
A Cook in San Diego, CA typically makes about $22.50 an hour. Most job postings pay $19.78 to $25.00.
How much does a Cook make a year?
A Cook in San Diego, CA typically makes about $46,800 a year. Most job postings pay $41,100 to $52,000.
534 open jobs. See them
Typical pay by city in California
Back to the whole USCalifornia
$22.50 typical, most $20.00 to $25.00
| San Jose, CA | $23.50 | $20.76 to $27.00 | 73 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego, CA | $22.50 | $19.78 to $25.00 | 140 |
| San Francisco, CA | $22.00 | $19.50 to $25.00 | 131 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $21.55 | $20.00 to $24.00 | 304 |
| Sacramento, CA | $20.60 | $18.80 to $22.23 | 47 |
| Riverside, CA | $20.50 | $19.00 to $22.00 | 71 |
| Bakersfield, CA | – | – | 7 |
| Chico, CA | – | – | 0 |
| El Centro, CA | – | – | 0 |
| Fresno, CA | – | – | 20 |
| Hanford, CA | – | – | 2 |
| Merced, CA | – | – | 2 |
| Modesto, CA | – | – | 12 |
| Napa, CA | – | – | 7 |
| Oxnard, CA | – | – | 16 |
| Redding, CA | – | – | 2 |
| Salinas, CA | – | – | 8 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | – | – | 6 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | – | – | 8 |
| Santa Maria, CA | – | – | 6 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | – | – | 17 |
| Stockton, CA | – | – | 6 |
| Vallejo, CA | – | – | 10 |
| 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 101 job postings$18.00 $24.00
Typical: $20.00
Most new hires start near the low end.
- Experienced 4 job postings
- Senior 0 job postings
- Lead or manager 12 job postings
Not enough postings yet to show pay for Experienced, Senior and Lead or manager. We show pay once 10 postings at a level list it.
Where would you land?
Pick your level to see what most Cook job postings in San Diego, CA pay at it.
Starting out: most postings pay $18.00 to $24.00 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 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brigantine Restaurants | $19.00 | $17.00 | – | – | – |
Cost of living in San Diego, CA
About $6,913 a month for 1 adult, 1 bedroom rental, a car, taxes included. Everyday prices run about 12% above the US average.
See the cost of living for your setupBased on public data from HUD, the Census, BEA, the Labor Department and EPA, plus Workybara job postings.
How much does a Cook make in San Diego, CA?
Employers hiring now typically offer $22.50 an hour for Cook roles in San Diego, CA. 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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Pay is one part of the picture. Add your experience and we line up the Cook roles that fit you.
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