Cooks, Short Order pay in California

In California, the median pay for cooks, short order is $20.64 an hour ($42,930 a year). About 30,740 people work in this job there.

$20.64Median hourly pay

$38,250–$45,020Middle half of workers, yearly

30,740People in this job in California

That is 20% higher than the U.S. median ($35,880). California ranks 5th of 49 states and territories for this job’s median pay.

Pay range for cooks, short order in California

Earns more than	Hourly	Yearly
10% of workers	$17.25	$35,880
25% of workers	$18.39	$38,250
Half of workers (median)	$20.64	$42,930
75% of workers	$21.64	$45,020
90% of workers	$22.67	$47,150

Cooks, Short Order pay in California metro areas

Metro area	Median yearly pay	People in this job
Santa Rosa-Petaluma	$46,450	700
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara	$45,990	1,660
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont	$45,790	4,430
Vallejo	$45,360	240
Napa	$43,930	150
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim	$43,680	12,410
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura	$42,990	0
Yuba City	$42,400	80
Salinas	$40,550	260
Hanford-Corcoran	$39,300	60
Santa Cruz-Watsonville	$39,140	210
Bakersfield-Delano	$38,490	330
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom	$38,480	1,800
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara	$38,340	360
Fresno	$38,280	930
Modesto	$38,260	370
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles	$38,020	320
Visalia	$37,940	280
Chico	$37,700	190
Stockton-Lodi	$37,490	390
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad	$37,300	1,830
Redding	$36,730	100
Merced	$36,240	140
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario	$35,610	2,280

California unemployment rate: 5.1% (August 2026), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Education, experience and outlook for cooks, short order

Typical education to start: No formal educational credential (BLS)
Related work experience most have: 3 to 6 months (O*NET)
Training on the job: Short-term on-the-job training (BLS)
Job outlook: -5.2% over ten years, declining · about 17,400 openings a year (BLS)

Related jobs in California

Job	Median yearly pay
Fast Food and Counter Workers	$42,280
Cooks, Restaurant	$44,880
Cooks, Fast Food	$42,050
Food Preparation Workers	$39,350
Chefs and Head Cooks	$64,500
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria	$46,390
Bakers	$43,120
Butchers and Meat Cutters	$44,290

Other job titles for this job

Snack Bar CookBroiler CookBarbecue CookBed and Breakfast CookB and B CookBreakfast Line CookChuck Wagon CookDeli CookFood and Beverage AttendantFood ClerkGriddle AttendantGriddle Cook

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Source: 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.