Cooks, All Other Salary in Salinas, CA
Cooks, All Others in Salinas, CA make a median of $38,080 a year, or about $18.31 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $53K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 109.04), so that salary is closer to $34,923 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,684/month — about 102.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $38K get you in Salinas?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Salinas’s Regional Price Parity (109.04). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction.
About cooks, all others
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Salinas, CA
Entry-level cooks, all others (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $38K. Top earners bring in $53K or more, a $18K spread from bottom to top.
Cooks, All Other pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $67K | +85% | 240 |
| Washington | $54K | +50% | 110 |
| Nevada | $50K | +37% | 350 |
| Illinois | $47K | +30% | 170 |
| New Jersey | $44K | +23% | 590 |
| Alaska | $43K | +19% | 40 |
| Indiana | $42K | +17% | 80 |
| Kentucky | $42K | +17% | 90 |
| New York | $42K | +17% | 1,260 |
| Idaho | $42K | +16% | N/A |
| Montana | $41K | +14% | 220 |
| Oregon | $41K | +12% | 490 |
| Ohio | $40K | +11% | N/A |
| Vermont | $40K | +11% | 190 |
| Florida | $40K | +10% | 1,120 |
| California | $39K | +9% | 4,420 |
| Utah | $39K | +9% | 50 |
| Minnesota | $39K | +9% | 150 |
| South Carolina | $39K | +9% | 60 |
| Hawaii | $38K | +5% | 120 |
| North Dakota | $37K | +2% | 90 |
| Arizona | $36K | +0% | 490 |
| Michigan | $36K | -1% | 580 |
| Georgia | $36K | -2% | 520 |
| Tennessee | $35K | -2% | 2,710 |
| Connecticut | $35K | -3% | 310 |
| Pennsylvania | $35K | -3% | 870 |
| Missouri | $35K | -4% | N/A |
| Virginia | $34K | -6% | 710 |
| Maryland | $33K | -8% | 750 |
| Wisconsin | $33K | -10% | 110 |
| North Carolina | $32K | -12% | 120 |
| Iowa | $31K | -14% | 310 |
| Texas | $31K | -14% | 5,130 |
| Louisiana | $30K | -18% | 620 |
| Arkansas | $28K | -24% | 80 |
Showing 1–10 of 36 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track cooks, all other salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Salinas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
How much do cooks, all others make in Salinas, CA?
The median is $38,080 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,000, and experienced cooks, all others can clear $53,490. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in Salinas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,661/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,684/month, which eats 100.9% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a cooks, all other salary go in Salinas?
Salinas has a Regional Price Parity of 109.04 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median cooks, all other salary is worth about $34,923 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do cooks, all others get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.