Chefs and Head Cooks Salary in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
SOC 35-1011 · Metropolitan Area · 2024 BLS OEWS
The median salary for a Chefs and Head Cooks in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA is $72,220 per year as of 2024. That works out to roughly $34.72 per hour. This is 18% above the national median of $60,990. 390 people work as Chefs and Head Cooks in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA. Wages have grown 30% since 2015, when the median was $55,470.
Median Annual Salary
$72,220
Mean Annual
$76,000
Median Hourly
$34.72
Total Employed
390
Location Quotient
1.62
Concentrated here
Salary Distribution
How This Compares
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$72,220
this metro
California
$66,780
you earn +8% vs state
United States
$60,990
you earn +18% vs US
Salary Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $72,220 |
| 2023 | $60,720 |
| 2022 | $68,680 |
| 2021 | $48,760 |
| 2020 | $62,510 |
| 2019 | $53,400 |
| 2018 | $48,310 |
| 2017 | $48,230 |
| 2016 | $51,870 |
| 2015 | $55,470 |
Related Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations Jobs in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
Other occupations in the same group, sorted by salary.
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $46,760 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $46,290 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | $43,320 |
| Cooks, Short Order | $37,600 |
| Food Preparation Workers | $37,180 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | $37,010 |