Cooks, All Other pay range in San Diego
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,380 a year or less, while the top 10% make $51,090 or more. The middle half of other cooks in San Diego earn between $38,480 and $45,020.
- $37K10th
- $38K25th
- $39KMedian
- $45K75th
- $51K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $42,560 | $3,547 | $20.46 |
| Median | $38,870 | $3,239 | $18.69 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $38,480 | $3,207 | $18.50 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $45,020 | $3,752 | $21.64 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, All Other pay in San Diego vs. California and the U.S.
Other cooks in San Diego earn about the same as the California average ($43,700) and 9% more than the U.S. average ($39,150). At the median the gap is +3% against the U.S. median of $37,690.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego | $42,560 | $38,870 | $37,380 | $51,090 | 290 |
| California | $43,700 | $42,860 | $37,040 | $50,940 | 3,990 |
| United States | $39,150 | $37,690 | $27,040 | $51,140 | 19,350 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Cooks, All Other salary after taxes in San Diego
On the average salary of $42,560, a single filer in San Diego takes home about $35,539 a year, or $2,962 a month and $1,367 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% 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 Diego a good place for other cooks? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Diego area are 12% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 111.9), so the average $42,560 buys what about $38,038 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in San Diego ($58,690). A typical home costs $946,365, or 22.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, All Other salary in other California cities
San Diego ranks 5th of 9 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($48,760).
- San Jose$48,760
- Santa Rosa$47,470
- San Francisco$46,610
- Salinas$42,800
- San Diego$42,560
- San Luis Obispo$42,330
- Los Angeles$42,220
- Sacramento$40,280
- Riverside$40,120
Highest-paying cities for other cooks
Burlington, VT pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($54,270).
- Burlington, VT$54,270
- Seattle, WA$53,780
- Las Vegas, NV$50,820
- Syracuse, NY$50,610
- San Jose, CA$48,760
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Cooks, All Other salary in San Diego: questions
How much do other cooks make an hour in San Diego?
$20.46 an hour on average, and $18.69 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level other cooks salary in San Diego?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,380 a year and the 25th percentile is $38,480, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the other cooks take-home pay in San Diego?
About $35,539 a year ($2,962 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $42,560. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do other cooks earn more in San Diego than elsewhere?
The average here is 9% more than the U.S. average for this job ($39,150).
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 35-2019; area San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA (41740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.0%.
- 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 1.52, this job is 1.5 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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