Chefs and Head Cooks salary in San Diego, CA
The median chefs and head cooks in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA earns $60,600 a year, 3% below the US median. After tax that is roughly $3,886 a month.
- 10th percentile
- $37,440
- 25th percentile
- $45,760
- Median percentile
- $60,600
- 75th percentile
- $76,590
- 90th percentile
- $96,740
Based on 3,890 employed. Data period: BLS OEWS May 2025. Percentiles show the spread of pay, not experience; reading the 25th percentile as "entry level" is only an approximation.
What you keep
$46,630 take-home a year
| Gross pay | $60,600 |
| Federal income tax | −$5,092 |
| Social Security + Medicare | −$4,636 |
| California income tax (approx.) | −$4,242 |
| Monthly take-home | $3,886 |
| Every two weeks | $1,793 |
Does it go far here?
$54,162Median pay in San Diego, CA is worth this at average US prices (local price level 111.9 vs 100).
58%of take-home pay goes to the median rent ($2,246 a month, Census ACS).
Top-paying jobs in San Diego, CA
| Job | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | $323,050 |
| Family Medicine Physicians | $295,530 |
| Pediatricians, General | $262,650 |
| Chief Executives | $238,440 |
| Natural Sciences Managers | $207,200 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $206,740 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $202,810 |
| Lawyers | $178,220 |
All chefs and head cooks salaries · Take-home pay in California