Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Chico, CA
Cooks, Restaurant in the Chico, CA metro area earn a median $37,980 a year — 2% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $31,695 take-home, or $2,641 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Chico, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,378
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,355
- Medicare (1.45%)$551
- California income tax$509
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$494
- Take-home pay$31,695
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.00% state
Cooks, Restaurant pay by experience in Chico, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $35,410 | $17.02 | $29,766 | $2,480 |
| 25th percentile | $36,420 | $17.51 | $30,524 | $2,544 |
| Median (50th) | $37,980 | $18.26 | $31,695 | $2,641 |
| 75th percentile | $44,610 | $21.45 | $36,670 | $3,056 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $45,740 | $21.99 | $37,519 | $3,127 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $37,980 buys in Chico, CA
Prices in Chico, CA are 1.2% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 8% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $31,695 take-home pay has the buying power of $31,320 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 Chico, CA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.85).
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Chico, CA ranks #207 of 327 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yakima, WA | $44,390 | $37,847 | $39,612 |
| 2 | Mount Vernon, WA | $46,450 | $39,503 | $38,561 |
| 3 | Kennewick, WA | $45,280 | $38,562 | $38,532 |
| 4 | Barnstable Town, MA | $46,930 | $37,762 | $38,395 |
| 5 | Spokane, WA | $44,230 | $37,719 | $37,589 |
| 6 | Bremerton, WA | $46,460 | $39,511 | $37,413 |
| 7 | Bellingham, WA | $45,370 | $38,635 | $37,388 |
| 8 | Pittsfield, MA | $43,970 | $35,531 | $37,360 |
| 207 | Chico, CA | $37,980 | $31,695 | $31,320 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 327 metros →
Cooks, Restaurant salaries elsewhere in California
- San Jose, CA — $47,170
- Santa Rosa, CA — $45,720
- Napa, CA — $47,320
- Sacramento, CA — $44,230
- San Diego, CA — $46,440
- Salinas, CA — $44,930
- Vallejo, CA — $44,100
- Santa Cruz, CA — $44,560
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Chico, CA?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Chico, CA metro area is $37,980 a year, or about $18.26 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $36,420 and $44,610.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Chico, CA?
On the median $37,980 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $31,695 a year ($2,641 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,002 in California taxes in 2026.
Is Chico, CA a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 2% above the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 1.2% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $31,320 would in a typical U.S. city. Chico, CA ranks #207 of 327 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in Chico, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Chico, CA is $1,270 a month ($1,625 for two bedrooms) — 48% of a median cooks, restaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Chico, CA
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $45,900
- Cooks, Fast Food — $40,340
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $38,210
- Food Preparation Worker — $37,510
- Waiter and Waitress — $34,320