Cooks, Restaurant salary in California
The median cooks, restaurant in California earns $44,880 a year, 20% above the US median. After tax that is roughly $2,925 a month.
- 10th percentile
- $37,100
- 25th percentile
- $38,590
- Median percentile
- $44,880
- 75th percentile
- $47,330
- 90th percentile
- $55,580
Based on 152,250 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
$35,099 take-home a year
| Gross pay | $44,880 |
| Federal income tax | −$3,206 |
| Social Security + Medicare | −$3,433 |
| California income tax (approx.) | −$3,142 |
| Monthly take-home | $2,925 |
| Every two weeks | $1,350 |
Does it go far here?
$40,535Median pay in California is worth this at average US prices (local price level 110.7 vs 100).
70%of take-home pay goes to the median rent ($2,036 a month, Census ACS).
Top-paying jobs in California
| Job | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | $400,150 |
| Neurologists | $357,080 |
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | $353,900 |
| Psychiatrists | $353,500 |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | $313,890 |
| Obstetricians and Gynecologists | $301,240 |
| Nurse Anesthetists | $292,410 |
| Physicians, All Other | $281,590 |
All cooks, restaurant salaries · Take-home pay in California