Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Fresno, CA
Cooks, Restaurant in the Fresno, CA metro area earn a median $38,260 a year — 2% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $31,905 take-home, or $2,659 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Fresno, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,411
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,372
- Medicare (1.45%)$555
- California income tax$520
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$497
- Take-home pay$31,905
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.00% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Cooks, Restaurant pay by experience in Fresno, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $35,430 | $17.03 | $29,781 | $2,482 |
| 25th percentile | $36,450 | $17.52 | $30,546 | $2,546 |
| Median (50th) | $38,260 | $18.39 | $31,905 | $2,659 |
| 75th percentile | $44,120 | $21.21 | $36,303 | $3,025 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $46,130 | $22.18 | $37,811 | $3,151 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $38,260 buys in Fresno, CA
Prices in Fresno, CA are 2.2% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 4% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $31,905 take-home pay has the buying power of $31,231 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Cooks, Restaurant jobs are less concentrated in Fresno, CA than nationally (location quotient 0.69), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Fresno, CA ranks #74 of 101 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spokane, WA | $44,230 | $37,719 | $37,589 |
| 2 | Portland, ME | $46,560 | $37,630 | $36,943 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $47,730 | $40,531 | $36,471 |
| 4 | San Jose, CA | $47,170 | $38,588 | $34,946 |
| 5 | Worcester, MA | $44,250 | $35,742 | $34,863 |
| 6 | Denver, CO | $44,370 | $36,587 | $34,588 |
| 7 | Omaha, NE | $37,840 | $31,742 | $34,536 |
| 8 | Atlantic City, NJ | $40,250 | $33,830 | $34,221 |
| 74 | Fresno, CA | $38,260 | $31,905 | $31,231 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 101 metros →
About the job: cooks, restaurant
Prepare, season, and cook dishes such as soups, meats, vegetables, or desserts in restaurants. May order supplies, keep records and accounts, price items on menu, or plan menu.
- Typical education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- Less than 5 years
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +12.1% (much faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Cooks, Restaurant salaries elsewhere in California
- San Jose, CA — $47,170
- Sacramento, CA — $44,230
- San Diego, CA — $46,440
- Riverside, CA — $42,450
- San Francisco, CA — $46,030
- Los Angeles, CA — $44,460
- Oxnard, CA — $42,060
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Fresno, CA?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Fresno, CA metro area is $38,260 a year, or about $18.39 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $36,450 and $44,120.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Fresno, CA?
On the median $38,260 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $31,905 a year ($2,659 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,017 in California taxes in 2026.
Is Fresno, CA a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 2% above the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 2.2% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $31,231 would in a typical U.S. city. Fresno, CA ranks #74 of 101 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in Fresno, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Fresno, CA is $1,315 a month ($1,625 for two bedrooms) — 49% of a median cooks, restaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Fresno, CA
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $44,730
- Cooks, Fast Food — $39,620
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $39,480
- Waiter and Waitress — $34,320