Chefs and Head Cooks pay range in Santa Cruz
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $39,740 a year or less, while the top 10% make $96,130 or more. The middle half of chefs and head cooks in Santa Cruz earn between $42,700 and $76,980.
- $40K10th
- $43K25th
- $59KMedian
- $77K75th
- $96K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $62,350 | $5,196 | $29.98 |
| Median | $59,190 | $4,932 | $28.46 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $42,700 | $3,558 | $20.53 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $76,980 | $6,415 | $37.01 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Chefs and Head Cooks pay in Santa Cruz vs. California and the U.S.
Chefs and head cooks in Santa Cruz earn 10% less than the California average ($69,130) and 7% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz | $62,350 | $59,190 | $39,740 | $96,130 | 200 |
| 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 Santa Cruz
On the average salary of $62,350, a single filer in Santa Cruz takes home about $50,345 a year, or $4,195 a month and $1,936 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 Santa Cruz a good place for chefs and head cooks? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Santa Cruz area are 10% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 109.9), so the average $62,350 buys what about $56,735 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Santa Cruz ($54,730). A typical home costs $1,157,157, or 18.6 years of this average salary before tax.
Chefs and Head Cooks salary in other California cities
Santa Cruz ranks 17th 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
- Santa Cruz$62,350
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 Santa Cruz: questions
How much do chefs and head cooks make an hour in Santa Cruz?
$29.98 an hour on average, and $28.46 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level chefs and head cooks salary in Santa Cruz?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $39,740 a year and the 25th percentile is $42,700, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the chefs and head cooks take-home pay in Santa Cruz?
About $50,345 a year ($4,195 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $62,350. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do chefs and head cooks earn more in Santa Cruz than elsewhere?
The average here is 7% 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 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA (42100). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 7.0%.
- 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 1.59, this job is 1.6 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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