Chefs and Head Cooks pay range in San Luis Obispo
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,660 a year or less, while the top 10% make $93,690 or more. The middle half of chefs and head cooks in San Luis Obispo earn between $42,410 and $76,400.
- $37K10th
- $42K25th
- $59KMedian
- $76K75th
- $94K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $63,330 | $5,278 | $30.45 |
| Median | $59,400 | $4,950 | $28.56 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $42,410 | $3,534 | $20.39 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $76,400 | $6,367 | $36.73 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Chefs and Head Cooks pay in San Luis Obispo vs. California and the U.S.
Chefs and head cooks in San Luis Obispo earn 8% less than the California average ($69,130) and 5% less than the U.S. average ($66,700). At the median the gap is -5% against the U.S. median of $62,470.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Luis Obispo | $63,330 | $59,400 | $36,660 | $93,690 | 270 |
| California | $69,130 | $64,500 | $37,380 | $101,870 | 31,670 |
| United States | $66,700 | $62,470 | $37,900 | $98,560 | 200,040 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Chefs and Head Cooks salary after taxes in San Luis Obispo
On the average salary of $63,330, a single filer in San Luis Obispo takes home about $51,072 a year, or $4,256 a month and $1,964 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is San Luis Obispo a good place for chefs and head cooks? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Luis Obispo area are 9% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 108.6), so the average $63,330 buys what about $58,317 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in San Luis Obispo ($50,770). A typical home costs $909,699, or 14.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Chefs and Head Cooks salary in other California cities
San Luis Obispo ranks 15th of 24 California metro areas for this job; Napa pays the most ($83,750).
- 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
- San Luis Obispo$63,330
Highest-paying cities for chefs and head cooks
Kahului, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($91,380).
- Kahului, HI$91,380
- Napa, CA$83,750
- San Jose, CA$80,150
- Albany, NY$79,500
- Providence, RI$79,440
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Chefs and Head Cooks salary in San Luis Obispo: questions
How much do chefs and head cooks make an hour in San Luis Obispo?
$30.45 an hour on average, and $28.56 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level chefs and head cooks salary in San Luis Obispo?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,660 a year and the 25th percentile is $42,410, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the chefs and head cooks take-home pay in San Luis Obispo?
About $51,072 a year ($4,256 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $63,330. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do chefs and head cooks earn more in San Luis Obispo than elsewhere?
The average here is 5% less than the U.S. average for this job ($66,700).
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; area San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA (42020). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.3%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.73, this job is 1.7 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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