First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers Salary in San Diego, CA
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area earn a median $46,980 a year — 7% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $38,449 take-home, or $3,204 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median first-line supervisor of food preparation and serving workers salary in San Diego, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,458
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,913
- Medicare (1.45%)$681
- California income tax$869
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$611
- Take-home pay$38,449
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.00% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers pay by experience in San Diego, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $37,910 | $18.23 | $31,642 | $2,637 |
| 25th percentile | $44,440 | $21.37 | $36,543 | $3,045 |
| Median (50th) | $46,980 | $22.59 | $38,449 | $3,204 |
| 75th percentile | $56,920 | $27.37 | $45,711 | $3,809 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $72,700 | $34.95 | $56,426 | $4,702 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $46,980 buys in San Diego, CA
Prices in San Diego, CA are 11.9% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.79× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median first-line supervisor of food preparation and serving workers's $38,449 take-home pay has the buying power of $34,364 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers jobs are about as common in San Diego, CA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.07).
Best-paying cities for first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers, adjusted for cost of living
San Diego, CA ranks #57 of 92 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $61,610 | $51,684 | $46,506 |
| 2 | Bridgeport, CT | $58,260 | $47,295 | $44,257 |
| 3 | Hartford, CT | $52,540 | $42,957 | $41,809 |
| 4 | San Jose, CA | $55,520 | $44,688 | $40,470 |
| 5 | Denver, CO | $52,520 | $42,777 | $40,439 |
| 6 | Nashville, TN | $45,630 | $38,844 | $40,320 |
| 7 | Winston, NC | $44,620 | $36,761 | $39,938 |
| 8 | Charlotte, NC | $47,280 | $38,792 | $39,849 |
| 57 | San Diego, CA | $46,980 | $38,449 | $34,364 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 92 metros →
About the job: first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers
Directly supervise and coordinate activities of workers engaged in preparing and serving food.
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- Less than 5 years
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +5.4% (faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers salaries elsewhere in California
- San Jose, CA — $55,520
- Bakersfield, CA — $45,580
- San Francisco, CA — $51,520
- Fresno, CA — $44,730
- Sacramento, CA — $46,840
- Riverside, CA — $44,990
- Oxnard, CA — $46,070
- Los Angeles, CA — $46,970
Frequently asked questions
How much does a first-line supervisor of food preparation and serving workers make in San Diego, CA?
The median first-line supervisor of food preparation and serving workers salary in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area is $46,980 a year, or about $22.59 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $44,440 and $56,920.
What is a first-line supervisor of food preparation and serving workers’s take-home pay in San Diego, CA?
On the median $46,980 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $38,449 a year ($3,204 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,479 in California taxes in 2026.
Is San Diego, CA a good place to work as a first-line supervisor of food preparation and serving workers?
Pay here is 7% above the national median of $44,080. Local prices are 11.9% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $34,364 would in a typical U.S. city. San Diego, CA ranks #57 of 92 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a first-line supervisor of food preparation and serving workers afford rent in San Diego, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in San Diego, CA is $2,459 a month ($3,001 for two bedrooms) — 77% of a median first-line supervisor of food preparation and serving workers’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in San Diego, CA
- Chef and Head Cook — $60,600
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $47,100
- Cooks, Restaurant — $46,440
- Cooks, Fast Food — $42,450
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $42,190
- Food Preparation Worker — $38,780
- Dishwasher — $38,530
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — $38,260
- Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other — $36,330
- Bartender — $36,260
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $36,140
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $35,960