Quick answer
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in California earned a median of $46,390 a year ($22.31 an hour) in May 2025, 24% above the national median of $37,450; 31,660 were employed there, ranking #6 of 54 states and territories by median pay, per BLS OEWS.
Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025
| Measure | California | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage | $46,390 | $37,450 |
| Mean annual wage | $47,900 | $38,810 |
| Median hourly wage | $22.31 | $18.01 |
| 10th percentile | $37,570 | $28,480 |
| 25th percentile | $40,240 | $32,440 |
| 75th percentile | $52,060 | $44,800 |
| 90th percentile | $59,630 | $49,670 |
| Employment | 31,660 | 441,050 |
| Jobs per 1,000 | 1.738 | — |
| Location quotient | 0.61 | 1.00 |
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Last updated 2026-10-16. Data only, not financial or tax advice.