Chefs and Head Cooks pay range in Vallejo
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $39,890 a year or less, while the top 10% make $97,210 or more. The middle half of chefs and head cooks in Vallejo earn between $47,430 and $79,390.
- $40K10th
- $47K25th
- $63KMedian
- $79K75th
- $97K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $68,430 | $5,702 | $32.90 |
| Median | $63,230 | $5,269 | $30.40 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $47,430 | $3,952 | $22.80 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $79,390 | $6,616 | $38.17 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Chefs and Head Cooks pay in Vallejo vs. California and the U.S.
Chefs and head cooks in Vallejo earn about the same as the California average ($69,130) and about the same as the U.S. average ($66,700). At the median the gap is +1% against the U.S. median of $62,470.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vallejo | $68,430 | $63,230 | $39,890 | $97,210 | 170 |
| 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 Vallejo
On the average salary of $68,430, a single filer in Vallejo takes home about $54,569 a year, or $4,547 a month and $2,099 every two weeks. Taxes take 20% 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 Vallejo a good place for chefs and head cooks? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Vallejo area are 8% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 108.5), so the average $68,430 buys what about $63,081 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Vallejo ($58,620). A typical home costs $576,614, or 8.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Chefs and Head Cooks salary in other California cities
Vallejo ranks 8th 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
- Riverside$67,030
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 Vallejo: questions
How much do chefs and head cooks make an hour in Vallejo?
$32.90 an hour on average, and $30.40 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level chefs and head cooks salary in Vallejo?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $39,890 a year and the 25th percentile is $47,430, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the chefs and head cooks take-home pay in Vallejo?
About $54,569 a year ($4,547 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $68,430. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do chefs and head cooks earn more in Vallejo than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as 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 Vallejo, CA (46700). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 8.1%.
- 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 0.94, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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