Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Santa Maria, CA
Cooks, Restaurant in the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metro area earn a median $43,340 a year — 16% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $35,717 take-home, or $2,976 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Santa Maria, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,021
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,687
- Medicare (1.45%)$628
- California income tax$723
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$563
- Take-home pay$35,717
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.00% state
Cooks, Restaurant pay by experience in Santa Maria, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $36,500 | $17.55 | $30,584 | $2,549 |
| 25th percentile | $37,680 | $18.12 | $31,470 | $2,622 |
| Median (50th) | $43,340 | $20.84 | $35,717 | $2,976 |
| 75th percentile | $46,700 | $22.45 | $38,239 | $3,187 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $50,200 | $24.13 | $40,802 | $3,400 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $43,340 buys in Santa Maria, CA
Prices in Santa Maria, CA are 8.8% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.51× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $35,717 take-home pay has the buying power of $32,829 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Santa Maria, CA has 1.3× the national concentration of cooks, restaurant jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Santa Maria, CA ranks #103 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 |
| 103 | Santa Maria, CA | $43,340 | $35,717 | $32,829 |
*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 Santa Maria, CA?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metro area is $43,340 a year, or about $20.84 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $37,680 and $46,700.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Santa Maria, CA?
On the median $43,340 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $35,717 a year ($2,976 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,286 in California taxes in 2026.
Is Santa Maria, CA a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 16% above the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 8.8% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $32,829 would in a typical U.S. city. Santa Maria, CA ranks #103 of 327 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in Santa Maria, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Santa Maria, CA is $2,746 a month ($3,124 for two bedrooms) — 92% of a median cooks, restaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Santa Maria, CA
- Chef and Head Cook — $65,060
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $47,320
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $42,940
- Cooks, Fast Food — $42,700
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — $38,740
- Food Preparation Worker — $38,470
- Dishwasher — $37,290
- Bartender — $35,810
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $35,620
- Waiter and Waitress — $35,260
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $35,110