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State comparison · 2025

Cooks, Restaurant salary: California vs Massachusetts

Occupation

Cooks, Restaurant in Massachusetts earn a median of $45,600. In California, $44,880. After cost-of-living, the gap is 5.9% — not 1.6%.

Nominal pay gap
-1.6%
California vs Massachusetts
COL-adjusted gap
-5.9%
After BEA Regional Price Parities

California

Cooks, Restaurant

Median
$44,880
p25
$38,590
p75
$47,330
p10
$37,100
p90
$55,580
COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
110.7
Hiring velocity (180d)
-40%
See full breakdown for California

Massachusetts

Cooks, Restaurant

Median
$45,600
p25
$38,370
p75
$49,040
p10
$36,540
p90
$58,590
COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
105.8
See full breakdown for Massachusetts

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Cost-of-living adjustment from BEA Regional Price Parities (overall index). Hiring velocity from DOL OFLC public disclosure data, recent 180 days vs prior. See methodology.