Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Salary
Cooks, Institution and Cafeterias in California make a median of $46,390 a year, or about $22.31 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $60K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $43,706 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,471/month, about 77.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across California. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $46K get you in California?
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What this looks like in California
California sits well above the national pay line for cooks, institution and cafeteria, local pay runs about 24% higher than the U.S. median of $37K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,471/month, which is 77.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.14), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, California
Entry-level cooks, institution and cafeterias (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $60K or more, a $22K spread from bottom to top.
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary by metro in California
25 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $52K | +12% | 2,640 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $49K | +6% | 4,280 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $48K | +4% | 430 |
| Napa | $48K | +4% | 130 |
| Hanford-Corcoran | $47K | +2% | 80 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $47K | +2% | 420 |
| Vallejo | $47K | +2% | 270 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $47K | +2% | 3,070 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $47K | +1% | 250 |
| Salinas | $47K | +1% | 350 |
| Modesto | $45K | -2% | 330 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $45K | -2% | 9,860 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $45K | -3% | 1,780 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $45K | -3% | 340 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $45K | -4% | 610 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $44K | -4% | 2,540 |
| Merced | $44K | -4% | 190 |
| Redding | $44K | -5% | 200 |
| Stockton-Lodi | $44K | -5% | 400 |
| Yuba City | $44K | -5% | 120 |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $44K | -5% | 510 |
| Fresno | $43K | -8% | 900 |
| Visalia | $42K | -10% | 280 |
| Chico | $41K | -11% | 140 |
| El Centro | $41K | -12% | 70 |
Showing 1–10 of 25 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when California numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a cooks, institution and cafeteria afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 77.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,471/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for cooks, institution and cafeterias in California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new cooks, institution and cafeterias typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,254/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 110% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is cooks, institution and cafeteria a high-paying job in California?
Local pay is 24% above the national median — $46K here vs. $37K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 6% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does California compare to the national average for cooks, institution and cafeterias?
California pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $37K — that’s +24%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $44K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do cooks, institution and cafeterias make in California?
The median is $46,390 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,570, and experienced cooks, institution and cafeterias can clear $59,630. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,187/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 77.5% 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, institution and cafeteria salary go in California?
California has a Regional Price Parity of 106.14 (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, institution and cafeteria salary is worth about $43,706 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do cooks, institution and cafeterias 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.