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Chefs and Head Cooks average salary by city in California
- Napa$83,750
- San Jose$80,150
- Salinas$76,270
- San Francisco$73,910
- Santa Rosa$71,510
- Santa Maria$69,830
- Los Angeles$69,260
- Vallejo$68,430
- Modesto$67,600
- Riverside$67,030
- Merced$65,520
- Oxnard$65,020
- San Diego$64,780
- Sacramento$63,500
- San Luis Obispo$63,330
- Fresno$62,980
- Santa Cruz$62,350
- Redding$62,130
- Bakersfield$60,510
- Stockton$60,320
- Visalia$59,260
- Chico$57,210
- Yuba City$56,590
- Hanford$55,840
Pay, take-home pay and cost of living
| City | Average | Median | 25th pct. | Take-home* | Cost of living |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Napa | $83,750 | $78,960 | $60,740 | $64,051 | 113 |
| San Jose | $80,150 | $79,020 | $56,390 | $61,854 | 110 |
| Salinas | $76,270 | $72,440 | $59,190 | $59,457 | 109 |
| San Francisco | $73,910 | $68,970 | $48,110 | $57,985 | 116 |
| Santa Rosa | $71,510 | $73,570 | $46,200 | $56,489 | 108 |
| Santa Maria | $69,830 | $65,060 | $45,520 | $55,441 | 109 |
| Los Angeles | $69,260 | $69,990 | $48,310 | $55,086 | 114 |
| Vallejo | $68,430 | $63,230 | $47,430 | $54,569 | 108 |
| Modesto | $67,600 | $61,330 | $44,290 | $54,051 | 104 |
| Riverside | $67,030 | $64,480 | $49,760 | $53,696 | 106 |
| Merced | $65,520 | $57,500 | $42,240 | $52,656 | 98 |
| Oxnard | $65,020 | $62,620 | $42,630 | $52,294 | 111 |
| San Diego | $64,780 | $60,600 | $45,760 | $52,121 | 112 |
| Sacramento | $63,500 | $57,870 | $44,200 | $51,195 | 107 |
| San Luis Obispo | $63,330 | $59,400 | $42,410 | $51,072 | 109 |
| Fresno | $62,980 | $61,870 | $42,740 | $50,813 | 102 |
| Santa Cruz | $62,350 | $59,190 | $42,700 | $50,345 | 110 |
| Redding | $62,130 | $56,550 | $45,520 | $50,181 | 101 |
| Bakersfield | $60,510 | $57,220 | $39,870 | $48,977 | 101 |
| Stockton | $60,320 | $55,210 | $42,520 | $48,835 | 105 |
| Visalia | $59,260 | $57,600 | $37,470 | $48,047 | 100 |
| Chico | $57,210 | $55,990 | $37,330 | $46,523 | 101 |
| Yuba City | $56,590 | $44,340 | $40,520 | $46,062 | 104 |
| Hanford | $55,840 | $45,800 | $38,720 | $45,505 | 102 |
*Average salary after federal and state taxes for a single filer; California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included. Cost of living: BEA price parity, U.S. = 100.
Chefs and Head Cooks salary in other states
More about pay in California
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 35-1011.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
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