Cooks, Restaurant pay range in San Diego
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,840 a year or less, while the top 10% make $51,820 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in San Diego earn between $40,330 and $47,560.
- $38K10th
- $40K25th
- $46KMedian
- $48K75th
- $52K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $45,770 | $3,814 | $22.00 |
| Median | $46,440 | $3,870 | $22.33 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $40,330 | $3,361 | $19.39 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $47,560 | $3,963 | $22.87 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in San Diego vs. California and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in San Diego earn about the same as the California average ($45,020) and 18% more than the U.S. average ($38,730). At the median the gap is +24% against the U.S. median of $37,390.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego | $45,770 | $46,440 | $37,840 | $51,820 | 15,670 |
| California | $45,020 | $44,880 | $37,100 | $55,580 | 152,250 |
| United States | $38,730 | $37,390 | $28,700 | $47,900 | 1,409,890 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Cooks, Restaurant salary after taxes in San Diego
On the average salary of $45,770, a single filer in San Diego takes home about $37,990 a year, or $3,166 a month and $1,461 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 Diego a good place for cooks, restaurant? 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 $45,770 buys what about $40,907 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in San Diego ($58,690). A typical home costs $946,365, or 20.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other California cities
San Diego ranks 5th of 25 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($49,390).
- San Jose$49,390
- San Francisco$48,630
- Napa$47,830
- Santa Rosa$46,470
- San Diego$45,770
- Salinas$45,310
- Los Angeles$44,750
- Vallejo$44,200
- Santa Cruz$44,090
- Santa Maria$43,580
Highest-paying cities for cooks, restaurant
Kahului, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($54,460).
- Kahului, HI$54,460
- San Jose, CA$49,390
- Seattle, WA$49,000
- San Francisco, CA$48,630
- Napa, CA$47,830
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Cooks, Restaurant salary in San Diego: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in San Diego?
$22.00 an hour on average, and $22.33 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in San Diego?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,840 a year and the 25th percentile is $40,330, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, restaurant take-home pay in San Diego?
About $37,990 a year ($3,166 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $45,770. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in San Diego than elsewhere?
The average here is 18% more than the U.S. average for this job ($38,730).
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 35-2014; area San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA (41740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.4%.
- 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 1.12, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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