CDCareer Decision

Cooks, Short Order Salary in Santa Maria, CA

In the 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS dataset, Cooks, Short Order in Santa Maria, CA have a median annual salary of $38,340, with 360 recorded jobs in this area. Recorded earnings range from $35,550 at the 10th percentile to $46,900 at the 90th percentile.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · Data year: 2025 · Last updated: 2026-09-22

Salary overview

Median annual salary

$38,340

Data year: 2025

Hourly median

$18.44

Employment

360

Source

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS

Salary distribution

$35,550
10th
$35,740
25th
$38,340
Median
$44,460
75th
$46,900
90th

Local compared with national

Santa Maria, CA

$38,340

Median annual · 2025

United States

$35,880

Median annual · 2025

The Santa Maria, CA median is 6.9% above the national median in the available dataset (a difference of $2,460).

Top skills

  1. 1.Reading ComprehensionImportance 3.1
  2. 2.Active ListeningImportance 3.1
  3. 3.Time ManagementImportance 3.1
  4. 4.SpeakingImportance 3.0
  5. 5.CoordinationImportance 3.0
  6. 6.Service OrientationImportance 3.0
  7. 7.Critical ThinkingImportance 2.9
  8. 8.MonitoringImportance 2.9
  9. 9.Social PerceptivenessImportance 2.6
  10. 10.Complex Problem SolvingImportance 2.6
  11. 11.Judgment and Decision MakingImportance 2.6
  12. 12.Active LearningImportance 2.4

Career information

Education and experience

Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Experience
None
Job zone
2

Technology used

  • Aldelo Systems Aldelo for Restaurants Pro
  • Foodman Home-Delivery
  • Inventory control software
  • Plexis Software Plexis POS
  • RestaurantPlus PRO

Common tasks

  • Clean food preparation equipment, work areas, and counters or tables.
  • Restock kitchen supplies, rotate food, and stamp the time and date on food in coolers.
  • Complete orders from steam tables, placing food on plates and serving customers at tables or counters.
  • Plan work on orders so that items served together are finished at the same time.
  • Grill, cook, and fry foods such as french fries, eggs, and pancakes.
  • Perform food preparation tasks, such as making sandwiches, carving meats, making soups or salads, baking breads or desserts, and brewing coffee or tea.
  • Perform general cleaning activities in kitchen and dining areas.
  • Take orders from customers and cook foods requiring short preparation times, according to customer requirements.
  • Grill and garnish hamburgers or other meats, such as steaks and chops.
  • Order supplies and stock them on shelves.

Related careers

Occupations recorded as related in the dataset. A relationship does not imply a guaranteed transition.

Cooks, Short Order salary in other locations

Other occupations in Santa Maria, CA