Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary · California
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Salary in California
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in California earn a median of $46,390 a year, which is $22.31 an hour. That is $8,940 above the national median of $37,450, a difference of 24 percent. The state employs 31,660.
California against the US May 2025
| Figure | California | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual | $46,390 | $37,450 |
| Median hourly | $22.31 | $18.01 |
| Mean annual | $47,900 | $38,810 |
| 10th percentile | $37,570 | $28,480 |
| 90th percentile | $59,630 | $49,670 |
| Employment | 31,660 | 441,050 |
How California compares
By median pay, California ranks 1 of the 12 states this site reports for cooks, institution and cafeteria. Ranking is on the published median only. It says nothing about how far that salary goes once housing, state income tax and commuting are paid, and those differences between states are frequently larger than the pay gap itself.
Other states for cooks, institution and cafeteria May 2025
| State | Median | Hourly | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $45,880 | $22.06 | 17,670 |
| Virginia | $37,890 | $18.22 | 11,170 |
| Illinois | $37,440 | $18.00 | 22,840 |
| Michigan | $36,870 | $17.72 | 13,500 |
| Ohio | $36,720 | $17.65 | 23,440 |
| Pennsylvania | $36,540 | $17.57 | 24,490 |
| Florida | $36,250 | $17.43 | 25,100 |
| North Carolina | $36,140 | $17.38 | 11,170 |
| Texas | $35,360 | $17.00 | 24,740 |
| Missouri | $34,900 | $16.78 | 13,130 |
| Kentucky | $31,550 | $15.17 | 11,540 |
Common questions
How much do cooks, institution and cafeteria make in California?
The median salary for cooks, institution and cafeteria in California is $46,390 a year, or $22.31 an hour. That is $8,940 above the national median of $37,450, a difference of 24 percent. California employs 31,660 of them.
Is California a good state to work as a cooks, institution and cafeteria?
On pay alone, California ranks 1 of the 12 states this site reports for the occupation, by median salary. Pay is only half the question though: a state with a higher median can still leave you with less once housing and taxes are counted, and this site does not adjust for cost of living.
What is the pay range for cooks, institution and cafeteria in California?
The lowest-paid 10 percent earn $37,570 or less and the highest-paid 10 percent earn $59,630 or more. The middle half falls between $40,240 and $52,060.
Where these numbers come from
Published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 release, for SOC code 35-2012 in California. Nothing on this page is interpolated or averaged by this site. See the national cooks, institution and cafeteria salary page for the full picture, or how to read these figures for what the survey covers.