Chefs and Head Cooks salary
in Salinas, CA
Chefs and Head Cooks in the Salinas, CA metro earn a median of $72,440 a year, based on BLS estimates for 360 jobs (May 2025). That is 16% above the U.S. median of $62,470 and 12% above the CA statewide median of $64,500. It ranks #17 of 160 metros with published figures for this job.
- SOURCEBLS OEWS, May 2025
- SAMPLE360 jobs (estimate)
- SCOPEall employers, all experience levels
- PERIODMay 2025 estimates
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CHEFS AND HEAD COOKS PAY IN OTHER CA METROS
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CAmedian $79,020
- Napa, CAmedian $78,960
- Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CAmedian $73,570
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAmedian $69,990
- San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CAmedian $68,970
- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CAmedian $65,060
- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CAmedian $64,480
- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CAmedian $62,620
Questions
What is the average Chefs and Head Cooks salary in Salinas?
The BLS median is $72,440 a year (May 2025). Half of the 360 jobs pay between $59,190 and $91,380. The 10th percentile is $40,150 and the 90th is $111,730.
Is Salinas a high-paying metro for Chefs and Head Cooks?
That is 16% above the U.S. median of $62,470 and 12% above the CA statewide median of $64,500. It ranks #17 of 160 U.S. metros with published BLS figures for this job.
Does this include experience levels?
BLS figures cover all experience levels together. Employer filings carry a DOL wage level, which the free checker can filter by (approximate).
Sources: U.S. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (national + state) (metro area estimates, all employers); employer rows from U.S. DOL OFLC LCA Disclosure Data, FY2026 Q3 (LCA_Disclosure_Data_FY2026_Q3.xlsx). Base pay only. Estimates can have sampling error, especially for smaller metros.