The average salary for a culinary chef in California is around $64,500 per year.
Avg Salary
Culinary chefs earn an average yearly salary of $64,500.
Wages typically start from $37,380 and go up to $101,870.
15% below national average Updated in 2025
Culinary chef earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level culinary chef earnings begin at:
$48.98 per hour
$101,870 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level culinary chef earnings begin at:
$38.96 per hour
$81,040 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level culinary chef earnings begin at:
$31.01 per hour
$64,500 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level culinary chef earnings begin at:
$22.27 per hour
$46,320 per year
10th percentile
Starting level culinary chef earnings begin at:
$17.97 per hour
$37,380 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Culinary chef salary by state
| State Name | Average 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 |
| Massachusetts | $69,540 |
| Georgia | $66,230 |
| Vermont | $65,440 |
| Colorado | $65,400 |
| California | $64,500 |
| Missouri | $64,480 |
| Connecticut | $64,310 |
| Pennsylvania | $63,860 |
| Oregon | $63,600 |
| New Hampshire | $63,400 |
| Virginia | $63,270 |
| Minnesota | $62,600 |
| Alabama | $62,400 |
| Nevada | $62,380 |
| New Mexico | $62,250 |
| Maryland | $61,590 |
| Delaware | $61,440 |
| Wisconsin | $61,300 |
| North Carolina | $61,130 |
| West Virginia | $61,100 |
| Nebraska | $60,510 |
| Michigan | $60,070 |
| Arizona | $59,890 |
| Utah | $59,060 |
| Illinois | $58,830 |
| Oklahoma | $58,540 |
| Kansas | $58,390 |
| Florida | $58,240 |
| Montana | $57,470 |
| Maine | $57,010 |
| Texas | $56,080 |
| Mississippi | $54,850 |
| Ohio | $53,990 |
| Alaska | $52,190 |
| Indiana | $52,190 |
| Idaho | $52,000 |
| South Dakota | $48,470 |
| Kentucky | $48,070 |
| Iowa | $47,990 |
| Arkansas | $46,170 |
| Louisiana | $45,570 |
| Guam | $39,340 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | $36,750 |
| Puerto Rico | $28,360 |
How do culinary chef salaries compare to similar careers?
Culinary chefs earn 7% more than similar careers in California. On average, they make less than food science technologists but more than restaurant cooks.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Food science technologist salary | $94K |
| Restaurant manager salary | $78K |
| Culinary chef salary | $64K |
| Brewmaster salary | $53K |
| Dietetic technician salary | $46K |
| Butcher salary | $44K |
| Restaurant cook salary | $45K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)