Cooks, Fast Food salary in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
Cooks, Fast Food in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area earn a median of $43,630 a year ($20.98 an hour), based on BLS data for 710 workers.
Pay ranges from $36,930 for the lowest-paid 10% to $44,590 for the top 10%. That is 41% higher than the national median of $30,890. Pay here is 4% higher than the California statewide median of $42,050. There are 7.2 cooks, fast food per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 1.7× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $42,030, close to the median.
Pay range for cooks, fast food in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $36,930 | $17.76 |
| 25th percentile | $37,760 | $18.15 |
| Median | $43,630 | $20.98 |
| 75th percentile | $44,160 | $21.23 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $44,590 | $21.44 |
| Average (mean) | $42,030 | $20.21 |
Half of cooks, fast food 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 | $3,635.83 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,817.92 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,678.08 |
| Weekly | $839.04 |
| Hourly | $20.98 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $43,630 salary, see how much house you can afford in California at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Cooks, Fast Food salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $47,220 | 4,790 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $46,670 | 10,160 |
| Napa, CA | $45,300 | 370 |
| Vallejo, CA | $44,450 | 1,150 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $43,840 | 1,050 |
| Salinas, CA | $43,120 | 1,100 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $42,700 | 1,430 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $42,530 | 2,520 |
| Modesto, CA | $42,510 | 1,620 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $42,480 | 16,910 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $42,450 | 10,630 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $42,390 | 850 |
| Yuba City, CA | $42,320 | 390 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $42,210 | 8,020 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $41,600 | 2,260 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $41,480 | 2,450 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $41,280 | 450 |
| Merced, CA | $40,430 | 660 |
| Chico, CA | $40,340 | 580 |
| El Centro, CA | $40,230 | 330 |
| Redding, CA | $39,920 | 470 |
| Visalia, CA | $39,750 | 1,410 |
| Fresno, CA | $39,620 | 3,910 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $38,000 | 48,440 |
Highest-paying states for cooks, fast food
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $48,120 |
| District of Columbia | $44,670 |
| California | $42,050 |
| Washington | $39,120 |
| New Hampshire | $38,590 |
| Vermont | $38,230 |
| Oregon | $37,880 |
| Massachusetts | $37,870 |
| Colorado | $36,900 |
| Maine | $36,350 |
See Cooks, Fast Food pay in every state or the California statewide figures.
Related jobs in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Cooks, Restaurant | $44,560 | $21.42 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $39,110 | $18.80 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $46,850 | $22.53 |
| Cooks, Short Order | $39,140 | $18.82 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $43,400 | $20.87 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $35,930 | $17.27 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $48,220 | $23.18 |
| Bartender | $36,100 | $17.36 |
| Dishwasher | $37,380 | $17.97 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $35,640 | $17.14 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $36,050 | $17.33 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $59,190 | $28.46 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $37,860 | $18.20 |
More: Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations · all salaries in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 35-2011. 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 cooks, fast food make in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
The median salary for cooks, fast food in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area is $43,630 a year, or $20.98 an hour. Pay ranges from $36,930 for the lowest-paid 10% to $44,590 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid cooks, fast food make in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
The top 10% of cooks, fast food in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area earn at least $44,590 a year. The top 25% earn $44,160 or more.
What is the starting pay for cooks, fast food in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $36,930 a year, and a quarter of cooks, fast food earn $37,760 or less.
How many cooks, fast food work in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
About 710 cooks, fast food are employed in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area, not counting the self-employed.