Cooks, Restaurant pay range in San Luis Obispo
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,690 a year or less, while the top 10% make $48,280 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in San Luis Obispo earn between $37,850 and $45,990.
- $37K10th
- $38K25th
- $43KMedian
- $46K75th
- $48K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $43,020 | $3,585 | $20.68 |
| Median | $43,220 | $3,602 | $20.78 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $37,850 | $3,154 | $18.20 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $45,990 | $3,832 | $22.11 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in San Luis Obispo vs. California and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in San Luis Obispo earn 4% less than the California average ($45,020) and 11% more than the U.S. average ($38,730). At the median the gap is +16% against the U.S. median of $37,390.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Luis Obispo | $43,020 | $43,220 | $36,690 | $48,280 | 1,640 |
| 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 Luis Obispo
On the average salary of $43,020, a single filer in San Luis Obispo takes home about $35,890 a year, or $2,991 a month and $1,380 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 Luis Obispo a good place for cooks, restaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Luis Obispo area are 9% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 108.6), so the average $43,020 buys what about $39,615 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.9 times the median wage of all jobs in San Luis Obispo ($50,770). A typical home costs $909,699, or 21.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other California cities
San Luis Obispo ranks 12th 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
- San Luis Obispo$43,020
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 Luis Obispo: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in San Luis Obispo?
$20.68 an hour on average, and $20.78 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in San Luis Obispo?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,690 a year and the 25th percentile is $37,850, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, restaurant take-home pay in San Luis Obispo?
About $35,890 a year ($2,991 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $43,020. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in San Luis Obispo than elsewhere?
The average here is 11% 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 Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA (42020). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.9%.
- 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 1.48, this job is 1.5 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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