Chefs and Head Cooks salary in the U.S.
Chefs and Head Cooks in the U.S. earn a median of $62,470 a year ($30.03 an hour), based on BLS data for 200,040 workers.
Pay ranges from $37,900 for the lowest-paid 10% to $98,560 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $66,700, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for chefs and head cooks in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $37,900 | $18.22 |
| 25th percentile | $48,440 | $23.29 |
| Median | $62,470 | $30.03 |
| 75th percentile | $78,750 | $37.86 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $98,560 | $47.39 |
| Average (mean) | $66,700 | $32.07 |
Half of chefs and head cooks earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $5,205.83 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,602.92 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,402.69 |
| Weekly | $1,201.35 |
| Hourly | $30.03 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Chefs and Head Cooks salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | $79,930 | 740 |
| Hawaii | $77,360 | 1,240 |
| District of Columbia | $76,420 | 2,020 |
| Washington | $76,010 | 5,320 |
| North Dakota | $74,740 | 100 |
| New Jersey | $74,280 | 9,100 |
| Wyoming | $73,170 | 240 |
| South Carolina | $71,860 | 2,650 |
| New York | $70,670 | 17,430 |
| Tennessee | $69,810 | 3,820 |
| Massachusetts | $69,540 | 6,000 |
| Georgia | $66,230 | 3,680 |
| Vermont | $65,440 | 610 |
| Colorado | $65,400 | 3,970 |
| California | $64,500 | 31,670 |
| Missouri | $64,480 | 1,750 |
| Connecticut | $64,310 | 3,080 |
| Virgin Islands | $63,960 | 260 |
| Pennsylvania | $63,860 | 9,170 |
| Oregon | $63,600 | 2,510 |
| New Hampshire | $63,400 | 1,170 |
| Virginia | $63,270 | 3,600 |
| Minnesota | $62,600 | 1,730 |
| Alabama | $62,400 | 1,000 |
| Nevada | $62,380 | 3,940 |
| New Mexico | $62,250 | 770 |
| Maryland | $61,590 | 3,220 |
| Delaware | $61,440 | 590 |
| Wisconsin | $61,300 | 1,860 |
| North Carolina | $61,130 | 4,920 |
| West Virginia | $61,100 | 350 |
| Nebraska | $60,510 | 540 |
| Michigan | $60,070 | 5,360 |
| Arizona | $59,890 | 4,080 |
| Utah | $59,060 | 1,740 |
| Illinois | $58,830 | 8,290 |
| Oklahoma | $58,540 | 1,430 |
| Kansas | $58,390 | 860 |
| Florida | $58,240 | 19,670 |
| Montana | $57,470 | 720 |
| Maine | $57,010 | 1,250 |
| Texas | $56,080 | 13,270 |
| Mississippi | $54,850 | 840 |
| Ohio | $53,990 | 4,000 |
| Alaska | $52,190 | 680 |
| Indiana | $52,190 | 1,940 |
| Idaho | $52,000 | 550 |
| South Dakota | $48,470 | 300 |
| Kentucky | $48,070 | 1,790 |
| Iowa | $47,990 | 1,640 |
| Arkansas | $46,170 | 880 |
| Louisiana | $45,570 | 1,990 |
| Puerto Rico | $30,800 | 770 |
Best-paying metro areas for chefs and head cooks
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Terre Haute, IN | $85,920 | 50 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $84,990 | 250 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $84,430 | 470 |
| Morgantown, WV | $81,330 | 70 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $80,330 | 3,740 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $79,340 | 1,070 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $79,020 | 1,280 |
| Napa, CA | $78,960 | 300 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $75,740 | 900 |
| Vineland, NJ | $75,050 | 100 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $74,940 | 140 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $74,900 | 4,680 |
| Kingston, NY | $74,710 | 140 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $74,660 | 2,370 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $74,380 | 740 |
Metro areas with the most chefs and head cooks
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 20,010 | $71,780 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 11,430 | $69,990 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 8,210 | $57,940 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 6,840 | $60,770 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 5,700 | $65,680 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 5,340 | $68,970 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 4,680 | $74,900 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 4,430 | $72,470 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 3,890 | $60,600 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 3,740 | $80,330 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 3,610 | $45,400 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 3,550 | $64,100 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | 3,430 | $62,380 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 2,870 | $61,400 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 2,770 | $64,480 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $44,080 | $21.19 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $31,200 | $15.00 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $35,230 | $16.94 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | $37,390 | $17.98 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $35,320 | $16.98 |
| Bartender | $34,340 | $16.51 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | $30,890 | $14.85 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $33,980 | $16.34 |
| Dishwasher | $34,810 | $16.73 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $37,450 | $18.01 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $31,200 | $15.00 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $35,360 | $17.00 |
| Cooks, Short Order | $35,880 | $17.25 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other | $35,840 | $17.23 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 35-1011. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a chefs and head cooks make in the U.S.?
The median salary for chefs and head cooks in the U.S. is $62,470 a year, or $30.03 an hour. Pay ranges from $37,900 for the lowest-paid 10% to $98,560 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid chefs and head cooks make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of chefs and head cooks in the U.S. earn at least $98,560 a year. The top 25% earn $78,750 or more.
What is the starting pay for chefs and head cooks in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $37,900 a year, and a quarter of chefs and head cooks earn $48,440 or less.
How many chefs and head cooks work in the U.S.?
About 200,040 chefs and head cooks are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.