Chef and Head Cook Salary in California
Median annual pay in California
$64,500
$31.01/hour
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Adjusted for cost of living in California
$58,255
Regional Price Parity: 110.720 (U.S. = 100)
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Difference from the U.S. median ($62,470): +$2,030 (+3.2%)
California ranks 15th of 51 states by median pay, and 40th of 51 after adjusting for cost of living.
Pay
| Annual | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $37,380 | $17.97 |
| 25th percentile | $46,320 | $22.27 |
| Median | $64,500 | $31.01 |
| 75th percentile | $81,040 | $38.96 |
| 90th percentile | $101,870 | $48.98 |
Employment
- Employment in California
- 31,670
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Comparison
Compared with the U.S.
- Median annual pay in California
- $64,500
- Median annual pay in the U.S.
- $62,470
- Difference
- +$2,030 (+3.2%)
Cost of living
$64,500 ÷ 110.720 × 100 = $58,255
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Ranking
| Rank | Median annual pay | Adjusted for cost of living (annual) |
|---|---|---|
| Vermont | ||
| 13th | $65,440 | $66,804 16th |
| Colorado | ||
| 14th | $65,400 | $63,463 25th |
| California This page | ||
| 15th | $64,500 | $58,255 40th |
| Missouri | ||
| 16th | $64,480 | $71,000 7th |
| Connecticut | ||
| 17th | $64,310 | $62,069 30th |
Similar occupations
Related occupations from O*NET, in O*NET's order, with their BLS median pay. Each figure shows the place it is for.
- Baker salary in the U.S.
$37,160/year U.S.
- Food Service Manager salary in the U.S.
$69,390/year U.S.
- Waiter and Waitress salary in the U.S.
$35,230/year U.S.
- Dietetic Technician salary in the U.S.
$37,640/year U.S.
- Food Preparation Worker salary in the U.S.
$35,320/year U.S.
- Fast Food and Counter Worker salary in the U.S.
$31,200/year U.S.
Outlook
- Projected employment change, 2025–35 (U.S.)
- +6.6%
- Typical education needed for entry (U.S.)
- High school diploma or equivalent
BLS publishes employment projections only for the U.S. as a whole. BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35
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Chef and Head Cook salary in nearby places
- Chef and Head Cook salary in Arizona
$59,890/year Arizona
- Chef and Head Cook salary in Nevada
$62,380/year Nevada
- Chef and Head Cook salary in Oregon
$63,600/year Oregon
- Chef and Head Cook salary in the U.S.
$62,470/year U.S.
Sources and update
- Wages and employment: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.
- Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
- Related occupations: O*NET® 31.0 Database, CC BY 4.0. Attributions
- Employment projections and typical education: BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35.
- Neighboring states: U.S. Census Bureau, County Adjacency File, 2024.
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