How much does a chef and head cook make in San Diego?
$60,600a year
Median yearly pay for chef and head cooks in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area. That is $29.13 an hour or $5,050 a month.
- Hourly
- $29.13
- Vs. national median
- -3%
- Rank among cities
- 140 of 340
- Jobs in the area
- 3,890
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $37,440Median: $60,600Highest 10%: $96,740
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $37,440 | $18.00 | |
| 25th | $45,760 | $22.00 | |
| Median | $60,600 | $29.13 | |
| 75th | $76,590 | $36.82 | |
| 90th | $96,740 | $46.51 |
Other cities in California
Median yearly pay for chef and head cooks.
| San Jose, CA | $79,020 |
| Napa, CA | $78,960 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $73,570 |
| Salinas, CA | $72,440 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $69,990 |
| San Francisco, CA | $68,970 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $65,060 |
| Riverside, CA | $64,480 |
| Vallejo, CA | $63,230 |
| Oxnard, CA | $62,620 |
| Fresno, CA | $61,870 |
| Modesto, CA | $61,330 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $59,400 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $59,190 |
| Sacramento, CA | $57,870 |
| Visalia, CA | $57,600 |
| Merced, CA | $57,500 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $57,220 |
| Redding, CA | $56,550 |
| Chico, CA | $55,990 |
| Stockton, CA | $55,210 |
| Hanford, CA | $45,800 |
| Yuba City, CA | $44,340 |
Related jobs in San Diego
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Cook | $47,100 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Worker | $46,980 |
| Cook | $46,440 |
| Cook | $42,450 |
| Fast Food and Counter Worker | $42,190 |
| Cook | $38,870 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $38,780 |
| Dishwasher | $38,530 |
| Food Server | $38,260 |
| Cook | $37,300 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a chef and head cook make an hour in San Diego?
The median hourly pay in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area is $29.13 ($60,600 a year).
Do chef and head cooks make more in San Diego than the national average?
No: $60,600 against $62,470 nationally, 3% less.
How does San Diego compare with the rest of California?
The median in California is $64,500, so San Diego pays 6% less.
Where does San Diego rank for chef and head cook pay?
140 of 340 metro areas with data.
How much does a chef and head cook make starting out in San Diego?
The lowest-paid 10% make $37,440 or less a year; the top 10% make $96,740 or more.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.