Chefs and Head Cooks pay in California
In California, the median pay for chefs and head cooks is $31.01 an hour ($64,500 a year). About 31,670 people work in this job there.
That is 3% higher than the U.S. median ($62,470). California ranks 15th of 51 states and territories for this job’s median pay.
Pay range for chefs and head cooks in California
| Earns more than | Hourly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| 10% of workers | $17.97 | $37,380 |
| 25% of workers | $22.27 | $46,320 |
| Half of workers (median) | $31.01 | $64,500 |
| 75% of workers | $38.96 | $81,040 |
| 90% of workers | $48.98 | $101,870 |
Chefs and Head Cooks pay in California metro areas
| Metro area | Median yearly pay | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $79,020 | 1,280 |
| Napa | $78,960 | 300 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $73,570 | 460 |
| Salinas | $72,440 | 360 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $69,990 | 11,430 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $68,970 | 5,340 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $65,060 | 520 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $64,480 | 2,770 |
| Vallejo | $63,230 | 170 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $62,620 | 480 |
| Fresno | $61,870 | 490 |
| Modesto | $61,330 | 170 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $60,600 | 3,890 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $59,400 | 270 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $59,190 | 200 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $57,870 | 1,630 |
| Visalia | $57,600 | 160 |
| Merced | $57,500 | 90 |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $57,220 | 290 |
| Redding | $56,550 | 70 |
| Chico | $55,990 | 110 |
| Stockton-Lodi | $55,210 | 320 |
| Hanford-Corcoran | $45,800 | 60 |
| Yuba City | $44,340 | 70 |
California unemployment rate: 5.1% (August 2026), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Education, experience and outlook for chefs and head cooks
- Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: 2 to 4 years (O*NET)
- Experience usually needed to start: 5 years or more (BLS)
- Job outlook: +6.6% over ten years, faster than average · about 25,200 openings a year (BLS)
Related jobs in California
| Job | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| Waiters and Waitresses | $36,080 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | $44,880 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $46,980 |
| Food Service Managers | $78,260 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $46,390 |
| Cooks, Short Order | $42,930 |
| Bakers | $43,120 |
| Food Batchmakers | $41,670 |
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Post a job freeFind jobsCheck pay for any jobSource: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates. Figures are for wage and salary workers and do not include the self-employed. The median is the middle wage: half earn more, half earn less. Other job titles: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.