Cooks, Short Order salary in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
Cooks, Short Order in the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metro area earn a median of $38,340 a year ($18.44 an hour), based on BLS data for 360 workers.
Pay ranges from $35,550 for the lowest-paid 10% to $46,900 for the top 10%. That is 7% higher than the national median of $35,880. Pay here is 11% lower than the California statewide median of $42,930. There are 1.8 cooks, short order per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 2.0× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $40,200, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for cooks, short order in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $35,550 | $17.09 |
| 25th percentile | $35,740 | $17.18 |
| Median | $38,340 | $18.44 |
| 75th percentile | $44,460 | $21.38 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $46,900 | $22.55 |
| Average (mean) | $40,200 | $19.33 |
Half of cooks, short order 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 | $3,195 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,597.50 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,474.62 |
| Weekly | $737.31 |
| Hourly | $18.44 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $38,340 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, Short Order salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $46,450 | 700 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $45,990 | 1,660 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $45,790 | 4,430 |
| Vallejo, CA | $45,360 | 240 |
| Napa, CA | $43,930 | 150 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $43,680 | 12,410 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $42,990 | n/a |
| Yuba City, CA | $42,400 | 80 |
| Salinas, CA | $40,550 | 260 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $39,300 | 60 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $39,140 | 210 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $38,490 | 330 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $38,480 | 1,800 |
| Fresno, CA | $38,280 | 930 |
| Modesto, CA | $38,260 | 370 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $38,020 | 320 |
| Visalia, CA | $37,940 | 280 |
| Chico, CA | $37,700 | 190 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $37,490 | 390 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $37,300 | 1,830 |
| Redding, CA | $36,730 | 100 |
| Merced, CA | $36,240 | 140 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $35,610 | 2,280 |
Highest-paying states for cooks, short order
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Arizona | $46,630 |
| Rhode Island | $46,250 |
| Massachusetts | $44,290 |
| Hawaii | $43,110 |
| California | $42,930 |
| Washington | $42,760 |
| Colorado | $42,450 |
| Connecticut | $42,450 |
| District of Columbia | $42,450 |
| New Jersey | $40,720 |
See Cooks, Short Order pay in every state or the California statewide figures.
Related jobs in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Cooks, Restaurant | $43,340 | $20.84 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $38,470 | $18.50 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | $42,700 | $20.53 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $48,210 | $23.18 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $42,940 | $20.64 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $35,260 | $16.95 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $47,320 | $22.75 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $35,110 | $16.88 |
| Bartender | $35,810 | $17.22 |
| Dishwasher | $37,290 | $17.93 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $35,620 | $17.12 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $65,060 | $31.28 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $38,740 | $18.62 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other | $36,360 | $17.48 |
More: Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations · all salaries in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 35-2015. 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, short order make in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?
The median salary for cooks, short order in the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metro area is $38,340 a year, or $18.44 an hour. Pay ranges from $35,550 for the lowest-paid 10% to $46,900 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid cooks, short order make in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?
The top 10% of cooks, short order in the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metro area earn at least $46,900 a year. The top 25% earn $44,460 or more.
What is the starting pay for cooks, short order in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $35,550 a year, and a quarter of cooks, short order earn $35,740 or less.
How many cooks, short order work in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?
About 360 cooks, short order are employed in the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metro area, not counting the self-employed.