Cooks, Restaurant salary
in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
Cooks, Restaurant in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro earn a median of $44,560 a year, based on BLS estimates for 1,020 jobs (May 2025). That is 19% above the U.S. median of $37,390 and 1% below the CA statewide median of $44,880. It ranks #28 of 527 metros with published figures for this job.
- SOURCEBLS OEWS, May 2025
- SAMPLE1,020 jobs (estimate)
- SCOPEall employers, all experience levels
- PERIODMay 2025 estimates
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COOKS, RESTAURANT PAY IN OTHER CA METROS
- Napa, CAmedian $47,320
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CAmedian $47,170
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CAmedian $46,440
- San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CAmedian $46,030
- Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CAmedian $45,720
- Salinas, CAmedian $44,930
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAmedian $44,460
- Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CAmedian $44,230
Questions
What is the average Cooks, Restaurant salary in Santa Cruz?
The BLS median is $44,560 a year (May 2025). Half of the 1,020 jobs pay between $38,360 and $47,200. The 10th percentile is $37,170 and the 90th is $49,840.
Is Santa Cruz a high-paying metro for Cooks, Restaurant?
That is 19% above the U.S. median of $37,390 and 1% below the CA statewide median of $44,880. It ranks #28 of 527 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.