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Chef salary in California

Updated November 2, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$64,500median pay per year in California, or $31.01 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $37,380lowest 10% earn less
  2. $46,32025th percentile
  3. $64,500median
  4. $81,04075th percentile
  5. $101,870top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $62,470[3]

The median pay for chefs in California was $64,500 a year in May 2025[1]. That is above the US median of $62,470[3].

Jobs in CA
31,670[4]
Rank by median pay
15 of 51[5]
Compared with US median
+3.2%[6]

How much do chefs make in California?

Half of the chefs in California earned more than $64,500 a year, and half earned less[1]. That is $31.01 an hour[1]. The average was $69,130 a year[7]. The US median was $62,470, so California ran $2,030 (3.2%) above it[6]. The median for all jobs in California was $58,240, and chefs earned $6,260 more than that[8][9].

The lowest-paid 10% of chefs in California earned less than $37,380, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $101,870[2]. The middle half fell between $46,320 and $81,040[2].

Pay differs by area. The highest metro median was $79,020 in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara[10]. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim showed $69,990, and Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom showed $57,870[11]. Among bordering states, Oregon had a median of $63,600 and Arizona $59,890[12]. These figures cover wage and salary jobs only. The self-employed are not counted, and bonuses and benefits costs are left out[13].

California vs US pay

Pay for chefs in California next to the national figures[1][3].

CAUS
Median per year$64,500[1]$62,470[3]
Median per hour$31.01[1]$30.03[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$37,380[2]$37,900[14]
Top 10% earn more than$101,870[2]$98,560[14]
Jobs31,670[4]200,040[3]

Pay by metro area in California

Metro areas in California with the most jobs for chefs, and the median pay in each[11].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA[11]$69,99011,430
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$68,9705,340
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$60,6003,890
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$64,4802,770
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$57,8701,630
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$79,0201,280
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$65,060520
Fresno, CA$61,870490

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for chefs in the states that border California, highest first[12].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Oregon[12]$63,6002,510
Nevada$62,3803,940
Arizona$59,8904,080

Median pay for chefs in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for chefs are projected to grow 6.6% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: high school diploma or equivalent[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a chef make in California?
The median was $64,500 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $69,130[7].
How much does a chef make an hour in California?
The median was $31.01 an hour and the average was $33.24 an hour[1][7].
Which city in California pays chefs the highest?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara had the highest metro median, at $79,020 a year[10].
Is California a good state for chefs?
California had the 15th highest median among the 50 states and DC[5]. Its median was $2,030 (3.2%) higher than the US median[6].
What do you need to become a chef in California?
Across the US, the typical entry education is a high school diploma or equivalent, plus 5 years or more of related work experience[16]. This is a national figure, not specific to California.

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Chefs and Head Cooks in California was $64,500 per year and $31.01 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Chefs and Head Cooks in California: 10th percentile $37,380, 25th percentile $46,320, 75th percentile $81,040, 90th percentile $101,870. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Chefs and Head Cooks in the US as a whole was $62,470 per year and $30.03 per hour, with about 200,040 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 31,670 people worked as Chefs and Head Cooks in California (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: California had the 15th highest median annual wage for Chefs and Head Cooks out of the 50 states and DC with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Chefs and Head Cooks in California ($64,500) was $2,030 (3.2%) higher than the US median ($62,470). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Chefs and Head Cooks in California was $69,130 per year and $33.24 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in California was $58,240. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Chefs and Head Cooks in California was $6,260 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($58,240). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 24 metro areas in or partly in California with a published median for Chefs and Head Cooks, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA had the highest median annual wage, $79,020. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Chefs and Head Cooks in states that border California (highest first): Oregon $63,600; Nevada $62,380; Arizona $59,890. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Chefs and Head Cooks in the US: 10th percentile $37,900, 25th percentile $48,440, 75th percentile $78,750, 90th percentile $98,560. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Chefs and Head Cooks is projected to grow 6.6% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 25,200 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Chefs and Head Cooks: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: 5 years or more; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections

State figures cover only California. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.