How much does a cook make in San Diego?
$37,300a year
Median yearly pay for cooks in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area. That is $17.93 an hour or $3,108 a month.
- Hourly
- $17.93
- Vs. national median
- +4%
- Rank among cities
- 54 of 237
- Jobs in the area
- 1,830
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $35,750Median: $37,300Highest 10%: $48,050
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $35,750 | $17.19 | |
| 25th | $36,110 | $17.36 | |
| Median | $37,300 | $17.93 | |
| 75th | $44,060 | $21.18 | |
| 90th | $48,050 | $23.10 |
Other cities in California
Median yearly pay for cooks.
| Santa Rosa, CA | $46,450 |
| San Jose, CA | $45,990 |
| San Francisco, CA | $45,790 |
| Vallejo, CA | $45,360 |
| Napa, CA | $43,930 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $43,680 |
| Oxnard, CA | $42,990 |
| Yuba City, CA | $42,400 |
| Salinas, CA | $40,550 |
| Hanford, CA | $39,300 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $39,140 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $38,490 |
| Sacramento, CA | $38,480 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $38,340 |
| Fresno, CA | $38,280 |
| Modesto, CA | $38,260 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $38,020 |
| Visalia, CA | $37,940 |
| Chico, CA | $37,700 |
| Stockton, CA | $37,490 |
| Redding, CA | $36,730 |
| Merced, CA | $36,240 |
| Riverside, CA | $35,610 |
Related jobs in San Diego
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Chef and Head Cook | $60,600 |
| 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 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cook make an hour in San Diego?
The median hourly pay in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area is $17.93 ($37,300 a year).
Do cooks make more in San Diego than the national average?
Yes: $37,300 against $35,880 nationally, 4% more.
How does San Diego compare with the rest of California?
The median in California is $42,930, so San Diego pays 13% less.
Where does San Diego rank for cook pay?
54 of 237 metro areas with data.
How much does a cook make starting out in San Diego?
The lowest-paid 10% make $35,750 or less a year; the top 10% make $48,050 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.