Chefs and Head Cooks pay range in Salinas
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $40,150 a year or less, while the top 10% make $111,730 or more. The middle half of chefs and head cooks in Salinas earn between $59,190 and $91,380.
- $40K10th
- $59K25th
- $72KMedian
- $91K75th
- $112K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $76,270 | $6,356 | $36.67 |
| Median | $72,440 | $6,037 | $34.83 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $59,190 | $4,932 | $28.46 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $91,380 | $7,615 | $43.93 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Chefs and Head Cooks pay in Salinas vs. California and the U.S.
Chefs and head cooks in Salinas earn 10% more than the California average ($69,130) and 14% more than the U.S. average ($66,700). At the median the gap is +16% against the U.S. median of $62,470.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salinas | $76,270 | $72,440 | $40,150 | $111,730 | 360 |
| California | $69,130 | $64,500 | $37,380 | $101,870 | 31,670 |
| United States | $66,700 | $62,470 | $37,900 | $98,560 | 200,040 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Chefs and Head Cooks salary after taxes in Salinas
On the average salary of $76,270, a single filer in Salinas takes home about $59,457 a year, or $4,955 a month and $2,287 every two weeks. Taxes take 22% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Salinas a good place for chefs and head cooks? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Salinas area are 9% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 109.0), so the average $76,270 buys what about $69,946 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Salinas ($47,380). A typical home costs $850,461, or 11.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Chefs and Head Cooks salary in other California cities
Salinas ranks 3rd of 24 California metro areas for this job; Napa pays the most ($83,750).
- Napa$83,750
- San Jose$80,150
- Salinas$76,270
- San Francisco$73,910
- Santa Rosa$71,510
- Santa Maria$69,830
- Los Angeles$69,260
- Vallejo$68,430
- Modesto$67,600
- Riverside$67,030
Highest-paying cities for chefs and head cooks
Kahului, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($91,380).
- Kahului, HI$91,380
- Napa, CA$83,750
- San Jose, CA$80,150
- Albany, NY$79,500
- Providence, RI$79,440
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Chefs and Head Cooks salary in Salinas: questions
How much do chefs and head cooks make an hour in Salinas?
$36.67 an hour on average, and $34.83 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level chefs and head cooks salary in Salinas?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $40,150 a year and the 25th percentile is $59,190, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the chefs and head cooks take-home pay in Salinas?
About $59,457 a year ($4,955 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $76,270. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do chefs and head cooks earn more in Salinas than elsewhere?
The average here is 14% more than the U.S. average for this job ($66,700).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 35-1011; area Salinas, CA (41500). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.2%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.49, this job is 1.5 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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