SOC 35-1011 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Chefs and Head Cooks — Hanford
Hanford-Corcoran, CA · 10 metro areas compared
Median pay in Hanford, CA is $45,800 a year, 26.7% under the national median of $62,470 for this occupation.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
Median pay in Hanford, CA is $45,800 a year, 26.7% under the national median of $62,470 for this occupation. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $38,720 and $73,240. The lowest tenth earn under $36,110, while the highest tenth earn more than $79,730.
The area has 60 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 0.93 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. Within the state, San Jose records the highest median at $79,020. Of the 196 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 145th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $36,110 | −42.2% |
| 25th | $38,720 | −38.0% |
| Median (50th) | $45,800 | −26.7% |
| 75th | $73,240 | +17.2% |
| 90th | $79,730 | +27.6% |
| Mean | $55,840 | −10.6% |
Other metro areas in California
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose | $79,020 | 1,280 | |
| 2 | Napa | $78,960 | 300 | |
| 3 | Santa Rosa | $73,570 | 460 | |
| 4 | Salinas | $72,440 | 360 | |
| 5 | Los Angeles | $69,990 | 11,430 | |
| 6 | San Francisco | $68,970 | 5,340 | |
| 7 | Santa Maria | $65,060 | 520 | |
| 8 | Riverside | $64,480 | 2,770 | |
| 9 | Vallejo | $63,230 | 170 | |
| 10 | Oxnard | $62,620 | 480 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Hanford run 10.7% above the national average, so the median of $45,800 buys what $41,373 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 33.8% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$45,800as reported by BLSLocal price level
110.7US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$41,373US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $45,800 a year, 26.7% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $36,110 to $79,730 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 60 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is San Jose, at $79,020.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Chefs and Head Cooks in Hanford, CA?
The median annual wage is $45,800, or $22.02 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $62,470, so pay in Hanford, CA is 26.7% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Hanford, CA earns more than $79,730 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $36,110 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in San Jose, at $79,020 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 60 jobs in this occupation in Hanford, CA. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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