How much does a cook make in San Diego?
$42,450a year
Median yearly pay for cooks in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area. That is $20.41 an hour or $3,538 a month.
- Hourly
- $20.41
- Vs. national median
- +37%
- Rank among cities
- 13 of 308
- Jobs in the area
- 10,630
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $36,110Median: $42,450Highest 10%: $47,230
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $36,110 | $17.36 | |
| 25th | $37,190 | $17.88 | |
| Median | $42,450 | $20.41 | |
| 75th | $43,680 | $21.00 | |
| 90th | $47,230 | $22.71 |
Other cities in California
Median yearly pay for cooks.
| San Jose, CA | $47,220 |
| San Francisco, CA | $46,670 |
| Napa, CA | $45,300 |
| Vallejo, CA | $44,450 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $43,840 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $43,630 |
| Salinas, CA | $43,120 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $42,700 |
| Oxnard, CA | $42,530 |
| Modesto, CA | $42,510 |
| Riverside, CA | $42,480 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $42,390 |
| Yuba City, CA | $42,320 |
| Sacramento, CA | $42,210 |
| Stockton, CA | $41,600 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $41,480 |
| Hanford, CA | $41,280 |
| Merced, CA | $40,430 |
| Chico, CA | $40,340 |
| El Centro, CA | $40,230 |
| Redding, CA | $39,920 |
| Visalia, CA | $39,750 |
| Fresno, CA | $39,620 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $38,000 |
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 |
| 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 cook make an hour in San Diego?
The median hourly pay in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area is $20.41 ($42,450 a year).
Do cooks make more in San Diego than the national average?
Yes: $42,450 against $30,890 nationally, 37% more.
How does San Diego compare with the rest of California?
The median in California is $42,050, so San Diego pays 1% more.
Where does San Diego rank for cook pay?
13 of 308 metro areas with data.
How much does a cook make starting out in San Diego?
The lowest-paid 10% make $36,110 or less a year; the top 10% make $47,230 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.