Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Salary in Salinas, CA
Cooks, Institution and Cafeterias in Salinas, CA make a median of $45,430 a year, or about $21.84 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $61K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 109.04), so that salary is closer to $41,664 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,684/month — about 85.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $45K 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. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Salinas, CA
Entry-level cooks, institution and cafeterias (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $45K. Top earners bring in $61K or more, a $24K spread from bottom to top.
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $48K | +32% | 10,210 |
| Hawaii | $47K | +30% | 1,270 |
| Alaska | $47K | +29% | 1,540 |
| Massachusetts | $46K | +27% | 7,510 |
| Connecticut | $46K | +26% | 3,630 |
| California | $46K | +25% | 27,320 |
| District of Columbia | $46K | +25% | 1,560 |
| Rhode Island | $45K | +25% | 940 |
| New Hampshire | $45K | +24% | 2,020 |
| New York | $45K | +24% | 16,980 |
| New Jersey | $44K | +21% | 7,290 |
| Delaware | $43K | +19% | 2,520 |
| Minnesota | $42K | +16% | 7,650 |
| Oregon | $42K | +15% | 7,010 |
| Vermont | $41K | +13% | 1,350 |
| Maine | $40K | +9% | 2,120 |
| Arizona | $39K | +8% | 6,840 |
| North Dakota | $39K | +7% | 2,120 |
| Maryland | $39K | +7% | 3,730 |
| Nevada | $39K | +6% | 1,590 |
| Wisconsin | $38K | +4% | 9,680 |
| Utah | $38K | +4% | 5,480 |
| Pennsylvania | $37K | +1% | 23,520 |
| Montana | $37K | +1% | 2,270 |
| Illinois | $36K | -0% | 22,850 |
| Virginia | $36K | -1% | 11,070 |
| Ohio | $36K | -1% | 23,180 |
| Michigan | $36K | -2% | 13,650 |
| Wyoming | $36K | -2% | 1,500 |
| Florida | $36K | -2% | 24,100 |
| Nebraska | $36K | -2% | 4,360 |
| South Dakota | $35K | -3% | 2,160 |
| Indiana | $35K | -4% | 11,690 |
| Georgia | $35K | -4% | 7,440 |
| North Carolina | $35K | -5% | 11,970 |
| Iowa | $35K | -5% | 9,460 |
| New Mexico | $34K | -6% | 3,650 |
| Idaho | $34K | -7% | 3,950 |
| Texas | $33K | -10% | 35,110 |
| Tennessee | $32K | -12% | 11,890 |
| South Carolina | $32K | -13% | 7,560 |
| Kansas | $31K | -15% | 7,470 |
| Missouri | $31K | -15% | 13,310 |
| Kentucky | $31K | -16% | 11,650 |
| Arkansas | $30K | -19% | 6,700 |
| West Virginia | $29K | -21% | 4,540 |
| Oklahoma | $29K | -21% | 11,660 |
| Alabama | $27K | -27% | 8,970 |
| Louisiana | $26K | -28% | 6,280 |
| Mississippi | $26K | -29% | 6,470 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track cooks, institution and cafeteria salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
How much do cooks, institution and cafeterias make in Salinas, CA?
The median is $45,430 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,750, and experienced cooks, institution and cafeterias can clear $60,780. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $45K enough to live in Salinas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,127/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,684/month, which eats 85.8% 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 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, institution and cafeteria salary is worth about $41,664 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.