Cooks, Fast Food pay range in Salinas
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,130 a year or less, while the top 10% make $47,010 or more. The middle half of cooks, fast food in Salinas earn between $37,020 and $44,060.
- $35K10th
- $37K25th
- $43KMedian
- $44K75th
- $47K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $41,940 | $3,495 | $20.16 |
| Median | $43,120 | $3,593 | $20.73 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $37,020 | $3,085 | $17.80 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $44,060 | $3,672 | $21.18 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Fast Food pay in Salinas vs. California and the U.S.
Cooks, fast food in Salinas earn about the same as the California average ($41,490) and 29% more than the U.S. average ($32,390). At the median the gap is +40% against the U.S. median of $30,890.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salinas | $41,940 | $43,120 | $35,130 | $47,010 | 1,100 |
| California | $41,490 | $42,050 | $35,750 | $48,750 | 124,440 |
| United States | $32,390 | $30,890 | $22,580 | $42,910 | 641,070 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Cooks, Fast Food salary after taxes in Salinas
On the average salary of $41,940, a single filer in Salinas takes home about $35,066 a year, or $2,922 a month and $1,349 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 Salinas a good place for cooks, fast food? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Salinas area are 9% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 109.0), so the average $41,940 buys what about $38,462 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Salinas ($47,380). A typical home costs $850,461, or 20.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Fast Food salary in other California cities
Salinas ranks 8th of 25 California metro areas for this job; San Francisco pays the most ($46,590).
- San Francisco$46,590
- San Jose$46,530
- Vallejo$44,360
- Napa$43,910
- Santa Rosa$43,620
- Santa Maria$42,120
- Santa Cruz$42,030
- Salinas$41,940
- Modesto$41,900
- San Diego$41,710
Highest-paying cities for cooks, fast food
San Francisco, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($46,590).
- San Francisco, CA$46,590
- San Jose, CA$46,530
- Vallejo, CA$44,360
- Napa, CA$43,910
- Seattle, WA$43,770
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Cooks, Fast Food salary in Salinas: questions
How much do cooks, fast food make an hour in Salinas?
$20.16 an hour on average, and $20.73 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, fast food salary in Salinas?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,130 a year and the 25th percentile is $37,020, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, fast food take-home pay in Salinas?
About $35,066 a year ($2,922 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $41,940. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do cooks, fast food earn more in Salinas than elsewhere?
The average here is 29% more than the U.S. average for this job ($32,390).
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 35-2011; area Salinas, CA (41500). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.4%.
- 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 1.42, this job is 1.4 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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