Cooks, Fast Food pay range in San Francisco
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,350 a year or less, while the top 10% make $54,820 or more. The middle half of cooks, fast food in San Francisco earn between $43,140 and $48,750.
- $38K10th
- $43K25th
- $47KMedian
- $49K75th
- $55K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $46,590 | $3,882 | $22.40 |
| Median | $46,670 | $3,889 | $22.44 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $43,140 | $3,595 | $20.74 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $48,750 | $4,062 | $23.44 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Fast Food pay in San Francisco vs. California and the U.S.
Cooks, fast food in San Francisco earn 12% more than the California average ($41,490) and 44% more than the U.S. average ($32,390). At the median the gap is +51% against the U.S. median of $30,890.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $46,590 | $46,670 | $38,350 | $54,820 | 10,160 |
| 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 San Francisco
On the average salary of $46,590, a single filer in San Francisco takes home about $38,616 a year, or $3,218 a month and $1,485 every two weeks. Taxes take 17% 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 Francisco a good place for cooks, fast food? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Francisco area are 16% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 115.6), so the average $46,590 buys what about $40,298 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in San Francisco ($74,260). A typical home costs $1,149,215, or 24.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Fast Food salary in other California cities
San Francisco ranks 1st of 25 California metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- 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 San Francisco: questions
How much do cooks, fast food make an hour in San Francisco?
$22.40 an hour on average, and $22.44 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, fast food salary in San Francisco?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,350 a year and the 25th percentile is $43,140, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, fast food take-home pay in San Francisco?
About $38,616 a year ($3,218 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $46,590. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do cooks, fast food earn more in San Francisco than elsewhere?
The average here is 44% 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 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA (41860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.6%.
- 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 1.04, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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