Food Preparation Workers Salary in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
SOC 35-2021 · Metropolitan Area · 2024 BLS OEWS
The median salary for a Food Preparation Workers in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA is $37,010 per year as of 2024. That works out to roughly $17.79 per hour. This is 8% above the national median of $34,220. 670 people work as Food Preparation Workers in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA. Wages have grown 69% since 2014, when the median was $21,840.
Median Annual Salary
$37,010
Mean Annual
$39,020
Median Hourly
$17.79
Total Employed
670
Location Quotient
1.18
Average concentration
Salary Distribution
How This Compares
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$37,010
this metro
California
$38,150
you earn -3% vs state
United States
$34,220
you earn +8% vs US
Salary Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $37,010 |
| 2023 | $36,550 |
| 2022 | $34,410 |
| 2021 | $33,530 |
| 2020 | $34,660 |
| 2019 | $28,780 |
| 2018 | $24,360 |
| 2017 | $23,020 |
| 2016 | $22,530 |
| 2015 | $22,410 |
| 2014 | $21,840 |
Related Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations Jobs in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
Other occupations in the same group, sorted by salary.
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $64,560 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $46,980 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $46,000 |
| Cooks, All Other | $43,260 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | $42,460 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | $37,670 |