Cooks, Fast Food Salary in San Francisco, CA
Cooks, Fast Food in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area earn a median $46,670 a year — 51% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $38,217 take-home, or $3,185 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, fast food salary in San Francisco, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,420
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,894
- Medicare (1.45%)$677
- California income tax$856
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$607
- Take-home pay$38,217
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.00% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Cooks, Fast Food pay by experience in San Francisco, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $38,350 | $18.44 | $31,972 | $2,664 |
| 25th percentile | $43,140 | $20.74 | $35,567 | $2,964 |
| Median (50th) | $46,670 | $22.44 | $38,217 | $3,185 |
| 75th percentile | $48,750 | $23.44 | $39,742 | $3,312 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $54,820 | $26.36 | $44,177 | $3,681 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $46,670 buys in San Francisco, CA
Prices in San Francisco, CA are 15.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.95× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, fast food's $38,217 take-home pay has the buying power of $33,056 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, Fast Food jobs are about as common in San Francisco, CA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.04).
Best-paying cities for cooks, fast food, adjusted for cost of living
San Francisco, CA ranks #5 of 53 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $47,220 | $38,625 | $34,979 |
| 2 | Bakersfield, CA | $41,480 | $34,321 | $34,020 |
| 3 | Austin, TX | $38,560 | $33,163 | $33,817 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $44,030 | $37,558 | $33,796 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $46,670 | $38,217 | $33,056 |
| 6 | Riverside, CA | $42,480 | $35,072 | $32,949 |
| 7 | Sacramento, CA | $42,210 | $34,869 | $32,689 |
| 8 | Fresno, CA | $39,620 | $32,925 | $32,230 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 53 metros →
About the job: cooks, fast food
Prepare and cook food in a fast food restaurant with a limited menu. Duties of these cooks are limited to preparation of a few basic items and normally involve operating large-volume single-purpose cooking equipment.
- Typical education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +0.6% (slower than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Cooks, Fast Food salaries elsewhere in California
- San Jose, CA — $47,220
- Bakersfield, CA — $41,480
- Riverside, CA — $42,480
- Sacramento, CA — $42,210
- Fresno, CA — $39,620
- Oxnard, CA — $42,530
- San Diego, CA — $42,450
- Los Angeles, CA — $38,000
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, fast food make in San Francisco, CA?
The median cooks, fast food salary in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area is $46,670 a year, or about $22.44 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $43,140 and $48,750.
What is a cooks, fast food’s take-home pay in San Francisco, CA?
On the median $46,670 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $38,217 a year ($3,185 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,463 in California taxes in 2026.
Is San Francisco, CA a good place to work as a cooks, fast food?
Pay here is 51% above the national median of $30,890. Local prices are 15.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $33,056 would in a typical U.S. city. San Francisco, CA ranks #5 of 53 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, fast food afford rent in San Francisco, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in San Francisco, CA is $2,620 a month ($3,187 for two bedrooms) — 82% of a median cooks, fast food’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in San Francisco, CA
- Chef and Head Cook — $68,970
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $51,520
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $49,140
- Cooks, Restaurant — $46,030
- Cooks, Short Order — $45,790
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — $44,710
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $43,870
- Dishwasher — $42,100
- Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other — $41,970
- Food Preparation Worker — $41,000
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $39,810
- Bartender — $39,670