Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay in California
$47,900avg. a year
$23.03 an hour · 31,660 employed
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in California earn an average of $47,900 a year. That is $9,090 (23%) more than the U.S. average of $38,810. The best-paying metro area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $54,290.
$46,390Median pay
$23.03Average hourly
+23%Avg. pay since 2020
#5Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for cooks, institution and cafeteria by metro area. Swipe to see all 25.
12,640 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$54,290
$26.10 an hour
24,280 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$52,440
$25.21 an hour
3270 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$50,500
$24.28 an hour
4130 jobs
Napa, CA
$50,320
$24.19 an hour
5250 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$49,350
$23.72 an hour
6430 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$49,070
$23.59 an hour
7420 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$49,000
$23.56 an hour
83,070 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$48,170
$23.16 an hour
9350 jobs
Salinas, CA
$48,160
$23.15 an hour
1080 jobs
Hanford-Corcoran, CA
$47,540
$22.85 an hour
11330 jobs
Modesto, CA
$46,530
$22.37 an hour
129,860 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$46,490
$22.35 an hour
13610 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$46,240
$22.23 an hour
141,780 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$45,770
$22.01 an hour
15340 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$45,670
$21.96 an hour
162,540 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$45,640
$21.94 an hour
17200 jobs
Redding, CA
$45,380
$21.82 an hour
18400 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$45,050
$21.66 an hour
19190 jobs
Merced, CA
$45,000
$21.63 an hour
20120 jobs
Yuba City, CA
$44,970
$21.62 an hour
21510 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$44,960
$21.62 an hour
22280 jobs
Visalia, CA
$43,040
$20.69 an hour
23900 jobs
Fresno, CA
$42,890
$20.62 an hour
24140 jobs
Chico, CA
$42,850
$20.60 an hour
2570 jobs
El Centro, CA
$41,800
$20.10 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California cooks, institution and cafeteria work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $35k$35k–$39k$39k–$44k$44k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $38,810 | $18.66 |
| California | $47,900 | $23.03 |
| Oregon | $45,220 | $21.74 |
| Nevada | $41,850 | $20.12 |
| Arizona | $41,350 | $19.88 |
Related jobs in California
- Cooks, Restaurant$45,020
- Food Preparation Workers$41,480
- Cooks, Fast Food$41,490
- Cooks, Short Order$42,260
- Fast Food and Counter Workers$41,680
- Waiters and Waitresses$44,600
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do cooks, institution and cafeteria make in California?
The average is $47,900 a year, and the median is $46,390. That is $9,090 (23%) more than the U.S. average of $38,810.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$23.03 an hour on average; the median is $22.31.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($54,290), followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($52,440). The lowest average among 25 metro areas with data is El Centro, CA ($41,800).
How does California rank?
California ranks #5 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 35-2012. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national cooks, institution and cafeteria page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.