How to Become a Culinary Professional in California (2026)

Q: How much do culinary professionals earn in California?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), culinary professionals in California earned a median annual wage of approximately $44,880.

Q: What is the job outlook for culinary professionals in California?

California currently employs approximately 152,250 workers, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 14.9% national employment change for this occupation from 2024 to 2034.

Updated June 8, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

California chefs and head cooks earn a median annual wage of $64,500 ($31.01/hr) according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), with about 31,670 workers employed statewide. The state median is approximately 3.2% above the national median of $62,470 for the same occupation.

Key Takeaways

Median annual pay: $64,500 ($31.01/hr)
25th percentile: $46,320 per year
75th percentile: $81,040 per year
Top 10% earn: more than $101,870 per year
Entry-level (bottom 10%): under $37,380 per year
Workers employed in California: 31,670
Versus national median: 3.2% above the U.S. median of $62,470
Job concentration: Location quotient 1.35 - this occupation is more concentrated in California than the national average

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Last reviewed June 8, 2026.

California employs about 152,250 culinary professionals earning a median $44,880 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Most culinary professionals train through an approved program before entering the field in California.

Compare Culinary Professional Schools in California

BOC Score, tuition, graduation rate, and median graduate earnings from federal IPEDS and U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard data. Earnings are reported across all programs at the school (all majors), not a single trade. Distance is measured from the page's primary location.
#	School	BOC Score (0–100)	Tuition	Median grad earnings (all majors)	Graduation rate	Online	Distance
1	College of the Canyons	60.9	Contact school for pricing	$64,248	44%	—	89 mi
2	Santa Barbara City College	56.7	Contact school for pricing	$63,514	34%	Yes*	72 mi
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3	Glendale Community College	55.8	Contact school for pricing	$49,295	Not reported	Yes*	114 mi
4	Allan Hancock College	55.3	Contact school for pricing	$55,202	27%	Yes*	61 mi
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5	Cuesta College	55.2	Contact school for pricing	$57,231	46%	Yes*	83 mi
6	Lemoore College	55.0	Contact school for pricing	$43,402	44%	Yes*	62 mi
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7	Oxnard College	54.5	Contact school for pricing	$49,137	33%	—	90 mi
8	College of the Sequoias	47.3	Contact school for pricing	$44,147	36%	—	63 mi
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9	Institute of Technology	44.2	Contact school for pricing	$43,172	74%	—	98 mi
10	Fresno City College	41.3	Contact school for pricing	$46,885	24%	—	94 mi
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Schools closest to the page's primary location are gathered first, then ranked by BOC Score; distance from the page's primary location is shown for reference. The BOC Score is an independent measure of school outcomes (graduation, earnings, net price, retention) expressed as a 0–100 percentile within each school's peer group; higher is better and advertising never affects it. *Online availability refers to coursework; hands-on trade training is completed in person. Read the full methodology.

California employs approximately 152,250 culinary professionals according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $44,880 ¹. Nationally, culinary professional employment is projected to grow 14.9% from 2024 to 2034, with about 250,700 openings per year ². This page covers how to become a Culinary Professional in California, including requirements, training programs, and salary data.

At a Glance

Training paths: trade school or community college
Typical timeline: varies by program; confirm with the school
Median wage (California): $44,880 per year ¹

Quick Answers About How to Become a Culinary Professional in California

How to become a Culinary Professional in California? Complete a training program or apprenticeship, gain work experience, and meet any state or employer requirements for culinary professionals in California.

How long does it take? culinary professional training length in California varies by program. Confirm current requirements with the school and the state board before you enroll.

What do culinary professionals earn in California? The median annual wage for culinary professionals in California is $44,880 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $37,100 and experienced professionals can earn $55,580 or more ¹.

How to Become a Culinary Professional in California

Finish high school or earn a GED. Most California training programs require a high school diploma or GED to enroll.
Complete an approved training program. Enroll in an approved culinary professional program in California that combines classroom instruction with supervised practice.
Gain supervised work experience. Build documented on-the-job hours under a qualified supervisor; confirm the exact total currently required with the licensing board.
Meet state and employer requirements. Confirm any registration, certification, or employer requirements that apply to culinary professionals in California before you start working.

Steps and hour totals vary by credential level; confirm current requirements with the state board before you apply.

Culinary Professional Wages by Metro Area in California

Chefs and Head Cooks Wages by Metro Area in California

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), chefs and head cooks wages in California vary by metro area.

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage	Avg. Annual Wage	Entry Level (10th pctile)	Experienced (90th pctile)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim	76,330	$47,562	$48,190	$37,180	$61,483
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont	30,700	$50,110	$52,856	$40,610	$69,049
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad	21,760	$48,632	$48,989	$37,662	$59,824
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario	19,950	$45,413	$46,112	$36,507	$55,970
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom	12,390	$45,863	$45,940	$36,796	$55,173
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara	11,420	$50,556	$52,752	$38,356	$69,773
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura	4,200	$44,293	$45,231	$36,557	$54,342
Fresno	4,110	$41,231	$43,266	$35,481	$52,183
Santa Rosa-Petaluma	3,360	$49,354	$49,658	$38,341	$62,216
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara	3,220	$46,884	$47,860	$36,790	$58,522
Bakersfield-Delano	3,030	$40,645	$42,526	$35,106	$50,732
Salinas	2,680	$48,072	$49,128	$37,258	$64,285
Stockton-Lodi	2,370	$43,601	$45,271	$36,732	$54,719
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles	2,260	$44,992	$45,451	$36,614	$54,106
Modesto	1,870	$43,149	$44,564	$36,293	$53,711
Napa	1,740	$52,681	$53,883	$39,480	$71,435
Santa Cruz-Watsonville	1,530	$46,140	$46,351	$37,245	$56,926
Vallejo	1,490	$46,458	$47,166	$37,471	$56,393
Visalia	1,400	$39,719	$42,164	$34,563	$51,694
Chico	830	$40,659	$42,741	$35,248	$51,826
Redding	670	$39,959	$42,755	$34,974	$52,559
Merced	610	$42,083	$45,002	$35,255	$56,181
Yuba City	530	$39,892	$43,645	$36,280	$54,055
El Centro	440	$38,101	$40,082	$35,001	$46,936
Hanford-Corcoran	360	$40,021	$43,176	$35,531	$53,838

Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the job outlook for culinary professionals in California? California currently employs approximately 152,250 culinary professionals ¹. Nationally, culinary professional employment is projected to grow 14.9% from 2024 to 2034 ².

What training programs are available in California? Options include trade schools, community colleges, and state-approved training programs. Use the school finder above to search for programs in California.

How much do culinary professionals earn in California compared to the national average? The median annual wage for culinary professionals in California is $44,880, which is $8,050 above the national median of $36,830 according to BLS data ¹.

In California

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Citations

About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics - Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/oes/ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎
Bureau of Labor Statistics - Employment Projections: https://www.bls.gov/emp/ ↩︎ ↩︎

Data sources

Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.

Data	Provider	Vintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	May 2025
Employment Projections	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	2024-2034
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System	National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)	2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirements	CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)	latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programs	CareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor)	latest release (updated 2025-10-25)
O*NET occupation profiles (skills, tasks, tools, job zones)	U.S. Department of Labor (O*NET / Employment & Training Admin.)	O*NET 29.1 (updated 2026-06-13)