Chefs and Head Cooks salary in Bakersfield-Delano, CA
Chefs and Head Cooks in the Bakersfield-Delano, CA metro area earn a median of $57,220 a year ($27.51 an hour), based on BLS data for 290 workers.
Pay ranges from $34,970 for the lowest-paid 10% to $86,420 for the top 10%. That is 8% lower than the national median of $62,470. Pay here is 11% lower than the California statewide median of $64,500. There are 0.87 chefs and head cooks per 1,000 jobs here — the job is less common than nationally (location quotient 0.68). The average (mean) salary is $60,510, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for chefs and head cooks in Bakersfield-Delano, CA
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $34,970 | $16.81 |
| 25th percentile | $39,870 | $19.17 |
| Median | $57,220 | $27.51 |
| 75th percentile | $75,330 | $36.21 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $86,420 | $41.55 |
| Average (mean) | $60,510 | $29.09 |
Half of chefs and head cooks earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $4,768.33 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,384.17 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,200.77 |
| Weekly | $1,100.38 |
| Hourly | $27.51 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $57,220 salary, see how much house you can afford in California at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Chefs and Head Cooks salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $79,020 | 1,280 |
| Napa, CA | $78,960 | 300 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $73,570 | 460 |
| Salinas, CA | $72,440 | 360 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $69,990 | 11,430 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $68,970 | 5,340 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $65,060 | 520 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $64,480 | 2,770 |
| Vallejo, CA | $63,230 | 170 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $62,620 | 480 |
| Fresno, CA | $61,870 | 490 |
| Modesto, CA | $61,330 | 170 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $60,600 | 3,890 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $59,400 | 270 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $59,190 | 200 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $57,870 | 1,630 |
| Visalia, CA | $57,600 | 160 |
| Merced, CA | $57,500 | 90 |
| Redding, CA | $56,550 | 70 |
| Chico, CA | $55,990 | 110 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $55,210 | 320 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $45,800 | 60 |
| Yuba City, CA | $44,340 | 70 |
Highest-paying states for chefs and head cooks
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Rhode Island | $79,930 |
| Hawaii | $77,360 |
| District of Columbia | $76,420 |
| Washington | $76,010 |
| North Dakota | $74,740 |
| New Jersey | $74,280 |
| Wyoming | $73,170 |
| South Carolina | $71,860 |
| New York | $70,670 |
| Tennessee | $69,810 |
See Chefs and Head Cooks pay in every state or the California statewide figures.
Related jobs in Bakersfield-Delano, CA
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $45,580 | $21.91 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $39,470 | $18.98 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $34,320 | $16.50 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | $41,480 | $19.94 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | $37,800 | $18.17 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $37,090 | $17.83 |
| Dishwasher | $35,720 | $17.18 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $34,320 | $16.50 |
| Bartender | $34,320 | $16.50 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $43,910 | $21.11 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $37,140 | $17.85 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $34,660 | $16.66 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other | $34,560 | $16.61 |
| Cooks, Short Order | $38,490 | $18.51 |
More: Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations · all salaries in Bakersfield-Delano, CA
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 35-1011. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a chefs and head cooks make in Bakersfield-Delano, CA?
The median salary for chefs and head cooks in the Bakersfield-Delano, CA metro area is $57,220 a year, or $27.51 an hour. Pay ranges from $34,970 for the lowest-paid 10% to $86,420 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid chefs and head cooks make in Bakersfield-Delano, CA?
The top 10% of chefs and head cooks in the Bakersfield-Delano, CA metro area earn at least $86,420 a year. The top 25% earn $75,330 or more.
What is the starting pay for chefs and head cooks in Bakersfield-Delano, CA?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $34,970 a year, and a quarter of chefs and head cooks earn $39,870 or less.
How many chefs and head cooks work in Bakersfield-Delano, CA?
About 290 chefs and head cooks are employed in the Bakersfield-Delano, CA metro area, not counting the self-employed.