Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Vallejo, CA
Cooks, Restaurant in the Vallejo, CA metro area earn a median $44,100 a year — 18% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $36,288 take-home, or $3,024 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Vallejo, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,112
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,734
- Medicare (1.45%)$639
- California income tax$753
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$573
- Take-home pay$36,288
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.00% state
Cooks, Restaurant pay by experience in Vallejo, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $37,810 | $18.18 | $31,567 | $2,631 |
| 25th percentile | $39,110 | $18.80 | $32,543 | $2,712 |
| Median (50th) | $44,100 | $21.20 | $36,288 | $3,024 |
| 75th percentile | $47,390 | $22.78 | $38,749 | $3,229 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $49,120 | $23.62 | $40,013 | $3,334 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $44,100 buys in Vallejo, CA
Prices in Vallejo, CA are 8.5% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.42× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $36,288 take-home pay has the buying power of $33,451 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 Vallejo, CA than nationally (location quotient 0.78), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Vallejo, CA ranks #69 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 |
| 69 | Vallejo, CA | $44,100 | $36,288 | $33,451 |
*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
- Santa Cruz, CA — $44,560
- Modesto, CA — $41,910
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Vallejo, CA?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Vallejo, CA metro area is $44,100 a year, or about $21.20 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $39,110 and $47,390.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Vallejo, CA?
On the median $44,100 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $36,288 a year ($3,024 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,327 in California taxes in 2026.
Is Vallejo, CA a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 18% above the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 8.5% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $33,451 would in a typical U.S. city. Vallejo, CA ranks #69 of 327 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in Vallejo, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Vallejo, CA is $1,705 a month ($2,178 for two bedrooms) — 56% of a median cooks, restaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Vallejo, CA
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $48,170
- Cooks, Fast Food — $44,450
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $44,110
- Food Preparation Worker — $38,840
- Dishwasher — $37,910
- Bartender — $36,870
- Waiter and Waitress — $36,610
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $36,460