The median annual wage for Cooks, Restaurant in California is $44,290 (May 2024 BLS OES). The mean (average) is $44,240.
Pay spans roughly $36,430 at the 10th percentile to $54,690 at the 90th, so experience and specialisation move this figure a lot. At the median that is about $21.30 per hour. An estimated 160,270 people work as cooks, restaurant in California.
| Median (annual) | $44,290 |
| Mean (annual) | $44,240 |
| Median (hourly) | $21.30 |
| 10th percentile | $36,430 |
| 90th percentile | $54,690 |
| Employment | 160,270 |
Updated 2026-07-23.
Source: BLS OES May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Checked 2026-07-23.