SOC 35-2014 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Cooks, Restaurant — Los Angeles
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA · 10 metro areas compared
The median wage for Cooks, Restaurant in Los Angeles, CA is $44,460 per year, 18.9% above the national median of $37,390.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage for Cooks, Restaurant in Los Angeles, CA is $44,460 per year, 18.9% above the national median of $37,390. Pay ranges from under $37,230 at the tenth percentile to more than $55,010 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $38,290 to $47,330.
The area has 54,320 jobs in this occupation, which works out to 8.7 of every thousand jobs. Napa leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $47,320. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 635th of 740 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $37,230 | −0.4% |
| 25th | $38,290 | +2.4% |
| Median (50th) | $44,460 | +18.9% |
| 75th | $47,330 | +26.6% |
| 90th | $55,010 | +47.1% |
| Mean | $44,750 | +19.7% |
Other metro areas in California
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Napa | $47,320 | 1,270 | |
| 2 | San Jose | $47,170 | 8,900 | |
| 3 | San Diego | $46,440 | 15,670 | |
| 4 | San Francisco | $46,030 | 20,540 | |
| 5 | Santa Rosa | $45,720 | 2,340 | |
| 6 | Salinas | $44,930 | 1,910 | |
| 7 | Santa Cruz | $44,560 | 1,020 | |
| 8 | Sacramento | $44,230 | 9,240 | |
| 9 | Vallejo | $44,100 | 1,020 | |
| 10 | Santa Maria | $43,340 | 2,300 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Los Angeles run 10.7% above the national average, so the median of $44,460 buys what $40,163 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 7.4% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$44,460as reported by BLSLocal price level
110.7US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$40,163US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $44,460 a year, 18.9% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $37,230 to $55,010 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 54,320 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Napa, at $47,320.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Cooks, Restaurant in Los Angeles, CA?
The median annual wage is $44,460, or $21.38 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 $37,390, so pay in Los Angeles, CA is 18.9% higher. 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 Los Angeles, CA earns more than $55,010 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $37,230 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 Napa, at $47,320 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 54,320 jobs in this occupation in Los Angeles, 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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