Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Salary in California
State wage data from the BLS OEWS survey, May 2025.
Median annual
$46,390
Median hourly
$22
Average annual
$47,900
Employed in state
32K
The median annual salary for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in California is $46,390, or about $22 an hour. That is 24% higher than the national median.
Pay in California ranges from $37,570 at the 10th percentile to $59,630 at the 90th percentile. Roughly 32K people work as cooks, institution and cafeteria in the state.
Pay distribution in California
10th$37,570
25th$40,240
Median$46,390
75th$52,060
90th$59,630
Salary calculator
- Hourly
- $22.30
- Daily
- $178
- Weekly
- $892
- Bi-weekly
- $1,784
- Monthly
- $3,866
- Annual
- $46,390
$46,390 a year is around the 50th percentile for Cooks, Institution and Cafeterias in California. The median is $46,390.
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay by metro area in California
| Metro area | Median annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $51,880 | 2.6K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $49,140 | 4.3K |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $48,210 | 430 |
| Napa, CA | $48,060 | 130 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $47,310 | 80 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $47,260 | 420 |
| Vallejo, CA | $47,130 | 270 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $47,100 | 3.1K |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $46,850 | 250 |
| Salinas, CA | $46,820 | 350 |
| Modesto, CA | $45,480 | 330 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $45,400 | 9.9K |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $45,020 | 1.8K |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $44,970 | 340 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $44,570 | 610 |
Other jobs in California
- Home Health and Personal Care Aides$35,800
- Fast Food and Counter Workers$31,200
- Retail Salespersons$35,410
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$40,240
- Registered Nurses$97,550
- Cashiers$32,880
- Office Clerks, General$45,010
- Stockers and Order Fillers$37,330
- General and Operations Managers$105,770
- Software Developers$135,980
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners$36,840
- Waiters and Waitresses$35,230
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$58,640
- Security Guards$38,020
- Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary$36,780
- Customer Service Representatives$44,770
- Accountants and Auditors$83,680
- Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$35,660
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$47,540
- Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$69,990