Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Riverside, CA
Cooks, Restaurant in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area earn a median $42,450 a year — 14% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $35,049 take-home, or $2,921 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Riverside, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,914
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,632
- Medicare (1.45%)$616
- California income tax$687
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$552
- Take-home pay$35,049
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 Riverside, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $36,320 | $17.46 | $30,449 | $2,537 |
| 25th percentile | $37,350 | $17.96 | $31,222 | $2,602 |
| Median (50th) | $42,450 | $20.41 | $35,049 | $2,921 |
| 75th percentile | $45,950 | $22.09 | $37,676 | $3,140 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $49,300 | $23.70 | $40,144 | $3,345 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $42,450 buys in Riverside, CA
Prices in Riverside, CA are 6.4% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.29× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $35,049 take-home pay has the buying power of $32,928 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 about as common in Riverside, CA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.92).
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Riverside, CA ranks #30 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 |
| 30 | Riverside, CA | $42,450 | $35,049 | $32,928 |
*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
- San Francisco, CA — $46,030
- Los Angeles, CA — $44,460
- Oxnard, CA — $42,060
- Fresno, CA — $38,260
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Riverside, CA?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area is $42,450 a year, or about $20.41 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $37,350 and $45,950.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Riverside, CA?
On the median $42,450 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $35,049 a year ($2,921 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,239 in California taxes in 2026.
Is Riverside, CA a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 14% above the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 6.4% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $32,928 would in a typical U.S. city. Riverside, CA ranks #30 of 101 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in Riverside, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Riverside, CA is $1,777 a month ($2,201 for two bedrooms) — 61% of a median cooks, restaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Riverside, CA
- Chef and Head Cook — $64,480
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $44,990
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $44,470
- Cooks, Fast Food — $42,480
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $42,280
- Food Preparation Worker — $38,420
- Dishwasher — $36,710
- Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other — $35,260
- Bartender — $34,840
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $34,830
- Waiter and Waitress — $34,800
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $34,590