How Much Do Cooks, Fast Food Make in California?
Median wage from BLS May 2025 — and the after-tax number the salary sites skip. Tax year 2026.
Quick answer
According to payandtaxes.com's analysis of BLS May 2025 data and 2026 tax law, the median Cooks, Fast Food in California earns $42,050 per year and takes home $35,296 ($2,941/month) — a keep-rate of 83.9%, with 124,440 employed in the state.
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| Gross pay | $3,504.17 |
| Federal income tax | $238.83 |
| Social Security | $217.26 |
| Medicare | $50.81 |
| California state income tax | $55.94 |
| You keep | $2,941.32 |
How much do Cooks, Fast Food make in California?
The median Cooks, Fast Food in California earns $42,050 per year (BLS May 2025), about $20.21 per hour.
What is that after taxes?
$42,050 gross in California keeps $35,296 after federal income tax ($2,866), FICA ($3,217) and state income tax ($671) — $2,941 per month, a 83.9% keep-rate.
How does California compare to the national median for Cooks, Fast Food?
The California median is $11,160 above the national median of $30,890.
Which state pays Cooks, Fast Food the most?
Hawaii has the highest median gross for Cooks, Fast Food at $48,120 — but compare take-home, not gross: state taxes change the order.
Cooks, Fast Food salary in every state · California paycheck calculator · California minimum wage