Cooks, Short Order pay range in San Diego
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,750 a year or less, while the top 10% make $48,050 or more. The middle half of cooks, short order in San Diego earn between $36,110 and $44,060.
- $36K10th
- $36K25th
- $37KMedian
- $44K75th
- $48K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $39,760 | $3,313 | $19.12 |
| Median | $37,300 | $3,108 | $17.93 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $36,110 | $3,009 | $17.36 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $44,060 | $3,672 | $21.18 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Short Order pay in San Diego vs. California and the U.S.
Cooks, short order in San Diego earn 6% less than the California average ($42,260) and 10% more than the U.S. average ($36,120). At the median the gap is +4% against the U.S. median of $35,880.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego | $39,760 | $37,300 | $35,750 | $48,050 | 1,830 |
| California | $42,260 | $42,930 | $35,880 | $47,150 | 30,740 |
| United States | $36,120 | $35,880 | $23,440 | $46,460 | 138,650 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Cooks, Short Order salary after taxes in San Diego
On the average salary of $39,760, a single filer in San Diego takes home about $33,401 a year, or $2,783 a month and $1,285 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% 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 San Diego a good place for cooks, short order? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Diego area are 12% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 111.9), so the average $39,760 buys what about $35,536 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in San Diego ($58,690). A typical home costs $946,365, or 23.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Short Order salary in other California cities
San Diego ranks 15th of 24 California metro areas for this job; San Francisco pays the most ($46,250).
- San Francisco$46,250
- San Jose$45,720
- Santa Rosa$45,590
- Napa$44,260
- Vallejo$44,070
- Los Angeles$42,440
- Salinas$41,920
- Oxnard$41,900
- Sacramento$41,130
- San Diego$39,760
Highest-paying cities for cooks, short order
Kahului, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($52,560).
- Kahului, HI$52,560
- Denver, CO$51,530
- Seattle, WA$49,560
- Corvallis, OR$48,580
- San Francisco, CA$46,250
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Cooks, Short Order salary in San Diego: questions
How much do cooks, short order make an hour in San Diego?
$19.12 an hour on average, and $17.93 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, short order salary in San Diego?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,750 a year and the 25th percentile is $36,110, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, short order take-home pay in San Diego?
About $33,401 a year ($2,783 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $39,760. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do cooks, short order earn more in San Diego than elsewhere?
The average here is 10% more than the U.S. average for this job ($36,120).
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 35-2015; area San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA (41740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.6%.
- 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 1.34, this job is 1.3 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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