Cooks, Restaurant pay range in Stockton
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,570 a year or less, while the top 10% make $47,760 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in Stockton earn between $37,560 and $45,810.
- $37K10th
- $38K25th
- $41KMedian
- $46K75th
- $48K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $42,430 | $3,536 | $20.40 |
| Median | $41,170 | $3,431 | $19.79 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $37,560 | $3,130 | $18.06 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $45,810 | $3,818 | $22.02 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in Stockton vs. California and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in Stockton earn 6% less than the California average ($45,020) and 10% more than the U.S. average ($38,730). At the median the gap is +10% against the U.S. median of $37,390.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stockton | $42,430 | $41,170 | $36,570 | $47,760 | 1,560 |
| 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 Stockton
On the average salary of $42,430, a single filer in Stockton takes home about $35,440 a year, or $2,953 a month and $1,363 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 Stockton a good place for cooks, restaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Stockton area are 5% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 105.1), so the average $42,430 buys what about $40,375 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Stockton ($48,990). A typical home costs $531,785, or 12.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other California cities
Stockton ranks 15th 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
- Stockton$42,430
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 Stockton: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in Stockton?
$20.40 an hour on average, and $19.79 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in Stockton?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,570 a year and the 25th percentile is $37,560, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, restaurant take-home pay in Stockton?
About $35,440 a year ($2,953 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $42,430. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in Stockton than elsewhere?
The average here is 10% 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 Stockton-Lodi, CA (44700). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.2%.
- 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 0.59, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.59).
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