Cooks, Short Order salary in Merced, CA

The median cooks, short order in Merced, CA earns $36,240 a year, 1% above the US median. After tax that is roughly $2,397 a month.

10th percentile: $34,320
25th percentile: $34,800
Median percentile: $36,240
75th percentile: $42,650
90th percentile: $44,470

Based on 140 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

$28,762 take-home a year

Gross pay	$36,240
Federal income tax	−$2,169
Social Security + Medicare	−$2,772
California income tax (approx.)	−$2,537
Monthly take-home	$2,397
Every two weeks	$1,106

Does it go far here?

$36,876Median pay in Merced, CA is worth this at average US prices (local price level 98.3 vs 100).

56%of take-home pay goes to the median rent ($1,343 a month, Census ACS).

Top-paying jobs in Merced, CA

Job	Median pay
Registered Nurses	$131,620
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education	$100,120
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	$99,600
General and Operations Managers	$94,990
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers	$68,070
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term	$60,770
Child, Family, and School Social Workers	$60,200
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General	$56,700

All cooks, short order salaries · Take-home pay in California