35 Series · SOC 35-1011
Chefs and Head Cooks Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $62,470
- Median / year
- $98,560
- Top 10% earn
- +7.1%
- Growth '23–'33
- 200,040
- US workers
Chefs and Head Cooks professionals earn a median $62,470/year ($30.03/hr) nationally. The salary ranges from $37,900 (10th percentile) to $98,560 (90th percentile). Employment is projected to grow7.1% from 2023 to 2033, faster than average. The highest-paying state is Rhode Island at $79,930. Approximately 200,040 people work in this role across the U.S. Entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent. Workplace safety grade: A (Very Safe).
Chefs and Head Cooks (SOC 35-1011) pays a national median of $62,470 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $37,900 at the 10th percentile to $98,560 at the 90th, with a mean of $66,700 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 200,040 Americans work in this occupation across 53 reporting states and 459 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +7.1% change in employment from 2023 to 2033, which the agency classifies as faster than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 24,400 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is High school diploma or equivalent, with 5 years or more of prior experience generally required. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 0.6 per 100,000 and injury rate of 2.4 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Rhode Island pays the highest state median at $79,930, which is +28% above the national figure. The top metro is Terre Haute, IN at $85,920 — metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand.
BLS OEWS May 2025 200,040 jobs Median $62,470/yr
Median Salary
$62,470
per year
Median Hourly
$30.03/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$66,700
average
Employment
200,040
jobs nationwide
This occupation vs. all-occupations US median ($63,000) 31.2%
All-occ US median
Bar fills relative to a $200K reference ceiling. Marker shows the all-occupations US median for context — anything to the right of it earns above the typical American worker.
Job Outlook (2023–2033)
Projected Growth
+7.1%
Faster than average
Annual Openings
24,400
per year (projected)
Typical Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Work Experience
5 years or more
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2023–2033
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings → A
Very Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
0.6/100K
Injury Rate
2.4/100
Danger Index
9.9/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Chefs and Head Cooks roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Coordination 4.1
Monitoring 4.0
Speaking 3.9
Social Perceptiveness 3.9
Time Management 3.9
Management of Personnel Resources 3.9
Critical Thinking 3.8
Service Orientation 3.8
Active Listening 3.6
Instructing 3.6
Knowledge Areas
Food Production 4.1
Production and Processing 4.0
Customer and Personal Service 3.9
Personnel and Human Resources 3.7
Administration and Management 3.7
Mathematics 3.5
Education and Training 3.5
English Language 3.3
Economics and Accounting 3.2
Administrative 3.1
Key Tasks
- ▸ Monitor sanitation practices to ensure that employees follow standards and regulations.
- ▸ Instruct cooks or other workers in the preparation, cooking, garnishing, or presentation of food.
- ▸ Supervise or coordinate activities of cooks or workers engaged in food preparation.
- ▸ Order or requisition food or other supplies needed to ensure efficient operation.
- ▸ Inspect supplies, equipment, or work areas to ensure conformance to established standards.
- ▸ Check the quantity and quality of received products.
- ▸ Check the quality of raw or cooked food products to ensure that standards are met.
- ▸ Estimate amounts and costs of required supplies, such as food and ingredients.
- ▸ Coordinate planning, budgeting, or purchasing for all the food operations within establishments such as clubs, hotels, or restaurant chains.
- ▸ Analyze recipes to assign prices to menu items, based on food, labor, and overhead costs.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$37,900
25th Percentile
$48,440
Median
$62,470
75th Percentile
$78,750
90th Percentile
$98,560
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
Lowest Paying States
View all 53 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | $79,930 | +28% above national |
| 2 | Hawaii | $77,360 | +24% above national |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $76,420 | +22% above national |
| 4 | Washington | $76,010 | +22% above national |
| 5 | North Dakota | $74,740 | +20% above national |
| 6 | New Jersey | $74,280 | +19% above national |
| 7 | Wyoming | $73,170 | +17% above national |
| 8 | South Carolina | $71,860 | +15% above national |
| 9 | New York | $70,670 | +13% above national |
| 10 | Tennessee | $69,810 | +12% above national |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $69,540 | +11% above national |
| 12 | Georgia | $66,230 | +6% above national |
| 13 | Vermont | $65,440 | +5% above national |
| 14 | Colorado | $65,400 | +5% above national |
| 15 | California | $64,500 | +3% above national |
| 16 | Missouri | $64,480 | +3% above national |
| 17 | Connecticut | $64,310 | +3% above national |
| 18 | Virgin Islands | $63,960 | +2% above national |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $63,860 | +2% above national |
| 20 | Oregon | $63,600 | +2% above national |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $63,400 | +1% above national |
| 22 | Virginia | $63,270 | +1% above national |
| 23 | Minnesota | $62,600 | same as national |
| 24 | Alabama | $62,400 | same as national |
| 25 | Nevada | $62,380 | same as national |
| 26 | New Mexico | $62,250 | same as national |
| 27 | Maryland | $61,590 | 1% below national |
| 28 | Delaware | $61,440 | 2% below national |
| 29 | Wisconsin | $61,300 | 2% below national |
| 30 | North Carolina | $61,130 | 2% below national |
| 31 | West Virginia | $61,100 | 2% below national |
| 32 | Nebraska | $60,510 | 3% below national |
| 33 | Michigan | $60,070 | 4% below national |
| 34 | Arizona | $59,890 | 4% below national |
| 35 | Utah | $59,060 | 5% below national |
| 36 | Illinois | $58,830 | 6% below national |
| 37 | Oklahoma | $58,540 | 6% below national |
| 38 | Kansas | $58,390 | 7% below national |
| 39 | Florida | $58,240 | 7% below national |
| 40 | Montana | $57,470 | 8% below national |
| 41 | Maine | $57,010 | 9% below national |
| 42 | Texas | $56,080 | 10% below national |
| 43 | Mississippi | $54,850 | 12% below national |
| 44 | Ohio | $53,990 | 14% below national |
| 45 | Alaska | $52,190 | 16% below national |
| 46 | Indiana | $52,190 | 16% below national |
| 47 | Idaho | $52,000 | 17% below national |
| 48 | South Dakota | $48,470 | 22% below national |
| 49 | Kentucky | $48,070 | 23% below national |
| 50 | Iowa | $47,990 | 23% below national |
| 51 | Arkansas | $46,170 | 26% below national |
| 52 | Louisiana | $45,570 | 27% below national |
| 53 | Puerto Rico | $30,800 | 51% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 459 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Terre Haute, IN | $85,920 | +38% above national |
| 2 | Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $84,990 | +36% above national |
| 3 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $84,430 | +35% above national |
| 4 | East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $81,720 | +31% above national |
| 5 | Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $81,350 | +30% above national |
| 6 | Morgantown, WV | $81,330 | +30% above national |
| 7 | Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area | $80,820 | +29% above national |
| 8 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $80,330 | +29% above national |
| 9 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $79,340 | +27% above national |
| 10 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $79,020 | +26% above national |
| 11 | Napa, CA | $78,960 | +26% above national |
| 12 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $75,740 | +21% above national |
| 13 | Vineland, NJ | $75,050 | +20% above national |
| 14 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $74,940 | +20% above national |
| 15 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $74,900 | +20% above national |
| 16 | West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $74,800 | +20% above national |
| 17 | Kingston, NY | $74,710 | +20% above national |
| 18 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $74,660 | +20% above national |
| 19 | Western Washington nonmetropolitan area | $74,640 | +19% above national |
| 20 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $74,380 | +19% above national |
| 21 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $74,290 | +19% above national |
| 22 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $74,210 | +19% above national |
| 23 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $73,750 | +18% above national |
| 24 | Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | $73,690 | +18% above national |
| 25 | Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | $73,690 | +18% above national |
| 26 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $73,570 | +18% above national |
| 27 | Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area | $73,130 | +17% above national |
| 28 | Spartanburg, SC | $72,670 | +16% above national |
| 29 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $72,470 | +16% above national |
| 30 | Salinas, CA | $72,440 | +16% above national |
| 31 | Northeastern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $72,370 | +16% above national |
| 32 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $72,340 | +16% above national |
| 33 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $72,270 | +16% above national |
| 34 | Santa Fe, NM | $72,020 | +15% above national |
| 35 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $71,780 | +15% above national |
| 36 | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $71,700 | +15% above national |
| 37 | Southern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $71,610 | +15% above national |
| 38 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $71,540 | +15% above national |
| 39 | High Desert Utah nonmetropolitan area | $71,430 | +14% above national |
| 40 | South Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $71,270 | +14% above national |
| 41 | Gainesville, GA | $70,780 | +13% above national |
| 42 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $70,420 | +13% above national |
| 43 | Bellingham, WA | $70,410 | +13% above national |
| 44 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $70,210 | +12% above national |
| 45 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $69,990 | +12% above national |
| 46 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $69,920 | +12% above national |
| 47 | Columbia, SC | $69,820 | +12% above national |
| 48 | Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $69,790 | +12% above national |
| 49 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $69,680 | +12% above national |
| 50 | Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area | $69,310 | +11% above national |
| 51 | Jackson, TN | $69,280 | +11% above national |
| 52 | Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area | $69,040 | +11% above national |
| 53 | Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area | $69,040 | +11% above national |
| 54 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $68,970 | +10% above national |
| 55 | Auburn-Opelika, AL | $68,830 | +10% above national |
| 56 | Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | $68,830 | +10% above national |
| 57 | Naples-Marco Island, FL | $68,830 | +10% above national |
| 58 | Wasatch Front Fringe Utah nonmetropolitan area | $68,690 | +10% above national |
| 59 | Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $68,370 | +9% above national |
| 60 | Walla Walla, WA | $68,120 | +9% above national |
| 61 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $68,070 | +9% above national |
| 62 | Barnstable Town, MA | $67,700 | +8% above national |
| 63 | Glens Falls, NY | $67,590 | +8% above national |
| 64 | Florence, SC | $67,550 | +8% above national |
| 65 | Warner Robins, GA | $67,530 | +8% above national |
| 66 | Springfield, MO | $67,460 | +8% above national |
| 67 | Sandusky, OH | $67,190 | +8% above national |
| 68 | Reading, PA | $66,980 | +7% above national |
| 69 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $66,970 | +7% above national |
| 70 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $66,930 | +7% above national |
| 71 | New Haven, CT | $66,700 | +7% above national |
| 72 | Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $66,550 | +7% above national |
| 73 | Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $66,450 | +6% above national |
| 74 | Pittsburgh, PA | $66,320 | +6% above national |
| 75 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $66,230 | +6% above national |
| 76 | Dalton, GA | $66,090 | +6% above national |
| 77 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $66,090 | +6% above national |
| 78 | Rochester, NY | $66,080 | +6% above national |
| 79 | Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $66,080 | +6% above national |
| 80 | Wausau, WI | $65,910 | +6% above national |
| 81 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $65,900 | +5% above national |
| 82 | Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $65,720 | +5% above national |
| 83 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $65,690 | +5% above national |
| 84 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $65,680 | +5% above national |
| 85 | Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $65,320 | +5% above national |
| 86 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $65,060 | +4% above national |
| 87 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $65,030 | +4% above national |
| 88 | Sumter, SC | $65,020 | +4% above national |
| 89 | South Florida nonmetropolitan area | $64,990 | +4% above national |
| 90 | Central Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $64,990 | +4% above national |
| 91 | Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $64,940 | +4% above national |
| 92 | Medford, OR | $64,700 | +4% above national |
| 93 | Worcester, MA | $64,620 | +3% above national |
| 94 | Jackson, MS | $64,480 | +3% above national |
| 95 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $64,480 | +3% above national |
| 96 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $64,480 | +3% above national |
| 97 | Madison, WI | $64,300 | +3% above national |
| 98 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $64,260 | +3% above national |
| 99 | Syracuse, NY | $64,170 | +3% above national |
| 100 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $64,100 | +3% above national |
| 101 | Ithaca, NY | $64,010 | +2% above national |
| 102 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $64,010 | +2% above national |
| 103 | Huntsville, AL | $64,000 | +2% above national |
| 104 | Springfield, MA | $64,000 | +2% above national |
| 105 | Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | $63,920 | +2% above national |
| 106 | North Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $63,870 | +2% above national |
| 107 | Salem, OR | $63,750 | +2% above national |
| 108 | Savannah, GA | $63,700 | +2% above national |
| 109 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $63,690 | +2% above national |
| 110 | Eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $63,540 | +2% above national |
| 111 | Sheboygan, WI | $63,430 | +2% above national |
| 112 | Elmira, NY | $63,410 | +2% above national |
| 113 | Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $63,380 | +1% above national |
| 114 | Harrisonburg, VA | $63,270 | +1% above national |
| 115 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $63,260 | +1% above national |
| 116 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $63,240 | +1% above national |
| 117 | Vallejo, CA | $63,230 | +1% above national |
| 118 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $63,220 | +1% above national |
| 119 | Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | $63,200 | +1% above national |
| 120 | Oklahoma City, OK | $63,160 | +1% above national |
| 121 | Longview-Kelso, WA | $63,080 | +1% above national |
| 122 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $63,050 | +1% above national |
| 123 | Binghamton, NY | $63,010 | +1% above national |
| 124 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $62,960 | +1% above national |
| 125 | Columbus, GA-AL | $62,920 | +1% above national |
| 126 | Yakima, WA | $62,920 | +1% above national |
| 127 | Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $62,920 | +1% above national |
| 128 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $62,820 | +1% above national |
| 129 | Knoxville, TN | $62,770 | same as national |
| 130 | Birmingham, AL | $62,760 | same as national |
| 131 | Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | $62,740 | same as national |
| 132 | Greeley, CO | $62,730 | same as national |
| 133 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $62,620 | same as national |
| 134 | Rochester, MN | $62,520 | same as national |
| 135 | North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $62,520 | same as national |
| 136 | Bozeman, MT | $62,460 | same as national |
| 137 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $62,400 | same as national |
| 138 | Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $62,400 | same as national |
| 139 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $62,380 | same as national |
| 140 | Connecticut nonmetropolitan area | $62,370 | same as national |
| 141 | East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $62,300 | same as national |
| 142 | Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $62,260 | same as national |
| 143 | Omaha, NE-IA | $62,240 | same as national |
| 144 | Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $62,220 | same as national |
| 145 | Appleton, WI | $62,200 | same as national |
| 146 | Cleveland, TN | $62,180 | same as national |
| 147 | Bend, OR | $62,110 | 1% below national |
| 148 | Reno, NV | $62,070 | 1% below national |
| 149 | Charlottesville, VA | $61,990 | 1% below national |
| 150 | Balance of Nevada nonmetropolitan area | $61,910 | 1% below national |
| 151 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $61,890 | 1% below national |
| 152 | Fresno, CA | $61,870 | 1% below national |
| 153 | Central East New York nonmetropolitan area | $61,860 | 1% below national |
| 154 | Grand Junction, CO | $61,810 | 1% below national |
| 155 | Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $61,800 | 1% below national |
| 156 | Boulder, CO | $61,740 | 1% below national |
| 157 | Northwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $61,730 | 1% below national |
| 158 | Brunswick-St. Simons, GA | $61,600 | 1% below national |
| 159 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $61,580 | 1% below national |
| 160 | Pittsfield, MA | $61,580 | 1% below national |
| 161 | Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $61,500 | 2% below national |
| 162 | Sussex Delaware nonmetropolitan area | $61,480 | 2% below national |
| 163 | Northern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $61,410 | 2% below national |
| 164 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $61,400 | 2% below national |
| 165 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $61,390 | 2% below national |
| 166 | Modesto, CA | $61,330 | 2% below national |
| 167 | Montgomery, AL | $61,330 | 2% below national |
| 168 | Morristown, TN | $61,290 | 2% below national |
| 169 | South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $61,260 | 2% below national |
| 170 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $61,190 | 2% below national |
| 171 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $61,090 | 2% below national |
| 172 | Utica-Rome, NY | $61,090 | 2% below national |
| 173 | Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $61,090 | 2% below national |
| 174 | Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $61,090 | 2% below national |
| 175 | Las Cruces, NM | $61,030 | 2% below national |
| 176 | Southside Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $60,960 | 2% below national |
| 177 | Southeast-Central Idaho nonmetropolitan area | $60,940 | 2% below national |
| 178 | Ann Arbor, MI | $60,910 | 2% below national |
| 179 | Janesville-Beloit, WI | $60,890 | 3% below national |
| 180 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $60,880 | 3% below national |
| 181 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $60,870 | 3% below national |
| 182 | Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $60,780 | 3% below national |
| 183 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $60,770 | 3% below national |
| 184 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $60,750 | 3% below national |
| 185 | Pueblo, CO | $60,710 | 3% below national |
| 186 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $60,600 | 3% below national |
| 187 | St. Cloud, MN | $60,500 | 3% below national |
| 188 | Southwest Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $60,470 | 3% below national |
| 189 | Maryland nonmetropolitan area | $60,420 | 3% below national |
| 190 | Greenville, NC | $60,400 | 3% below national |
| 191 | Asheville, NC | $60,390 | 3% below national |
| 192 | Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $60,320 | 3% below national |
| 193 | North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $60,250 | 4% below national |
| 194 | Billings, MT | $60,200 | 4% below national |
| 195 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $60,180 | 4% below national |
| 196 | Northeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $60,110 | 4% below national |
| 197 | Mankato, MN | $60,050 | 4% below national |
| 198 | Albuquerque, NM | $60,040 | 4% below national |
| 199 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $60,030 | 4% below national |
| 200 | Dover, DE | $59,990 | 4% below national |
| 201 | Johnson City, TN | $59,990 | 4% below national |
| 202 | Chambersburg, PA | $59,950 | 4% below national |
| 203 | North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $59,940 | 4% below national |
| 204 | Columbus, OH | $59,830 | 4% below national |
| 205 | Southwestern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $59,750 | 4% below national |
| 206 | Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $59,750 | 4% below national |
| 207 | Richmond, VA | $59,730 | 4% below national |
| 208 | North Florida nonmetropolitan area | $59,710 | 4% below national |
| 209 | Midland, MI | $59,700 | 4% below national |
| 210 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $59,690 | 4% below national |
| 211 | Lincoln, NE | $59,680 | 4% below national |
| 212 | Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $59,640 | 5% below national |
| 213 | Albany, GA | $59,540 | 5% below national |
| 214 | Battle Creek, MI | $59,540 | 5% below national |
| 215 | Kenosha, WI | $59,530 | 5% below national |
| 216 | Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $59,510 | 5% below national |
| 217 | Jackson, MI | $59,510 | 5% below national |
| 218 | Wildwood-The Villages, FL | $59,510 | 5% below national |
| 219 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $59,480 | 5% below national |
| 220 | Salisbury, MD | $59,470 | 5% below national |
| 221 | Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $59,430 | 5% below national |
| 222 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $59,400 | 5% below national |
| 223 | Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $59,390 | 5% below national |
| 224 | Flagstaff, AZ | $59,380 | 5% below national |
| 225 | Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $59,300 | 5% below national |
| 226 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $59,290 | 5% below national |
| 227 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $59,280 | 5% below national |
| 228 | Eau Claire, WI | $59,240 | 5% below national |
| 229 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $59,190 | 5% below national |
| 230 | Colorado Springs, CO | $59,180 | 5% below national |
| 231 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $59,160 | 5% below national |
| 232 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $59,080 | 5% below national |
| 233 | Lexington Park, MD | $58,820 | 6% below national |
| 234 | Niles, MI | $58,570 | 6% below national |
| 235 | State College, PA | $58,560 | 6% below national |
| 236 | Green Bay, WI | $58,480 | 6% below national |
| 237 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $58,440 | 6% below national |
| 238 | La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $58,300 | 7% below national |
| 239 | Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $58,270 | 7% below national |
| 240 | Corvallis, OR | $58,240 | 7% below national |
| 241 | Hot Springs, AR | $58,240 | 7% below national |
| 242 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $58,240 | 7% below national |
| 243 | South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $58,220 | 7% below national |
| 244 | Mobile, AL | $58,130 | 7% below national |
| 245 | Wilmington, NC | $58,120 | 7% below national |
| 246 | Midland, TX | $58,100 | 7% below national |
| 247 | Lancaster, PA | $58,040 | 7% below national |
| 248 | Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | $57,990 | 7% below national |
| 249 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $57,940 | 7% below national |
| 250 | College Station-Bryan, TX | $57,920 | 7% below national |
| 251 | Rocky Mount, NC | $57,920 | 7% below national |
| 252 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $57,870 | 7% below national |
| 253 | Fayetteville, NC | $57,830 | 7% below national |
| 254 | Flint, MI | $57,800 | 7% below national |
| 255 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $57,730 | 8% below national |
| 256 | Northern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $57,690 | 8% below national |
| 257 | Visalia, CA | $57,600 | 8% below national |
| 258 | Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $57,600 | 8% below national |
| 259 | Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $57,550 | 8% below national |
| 260 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $57,540 | 8% below national |
| 261 | Helena, MT | $57,510 | 8% below national |
| 262 | Merced, CA | $57,500 | 8% below national |
| 263 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $57,380 | 8% below national |
| 264 | Roanoke, VA | $57,350 | 8% below national |
| 265 | Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $57,290 | 8% below national |
| 266 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $57,220 | 8% below national |
| 267 | Lower East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $57,220 | 8% below national |
| 268 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $57,180 | 8% below national |
| 269 | Missoula, MT | $57,170 | 8% below national |
| 270 | Cleveland, OH | $57,020 | 9% below national |
| 271 | Traverse City, MI | $57,000 | 9% below national |
| 272 | Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $56,970 | 9% below national |
| 273 | Lubbock, TX | $56,950 | 9% below national |
| 274 | Lynchburg, VA | $56,930 | 9% below national |
| 275 | York-Hanover, PA | $56,860 | 9% below national |
| 276 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $56,830 | 9% below national |
| 277 | Duluth, MN-WI | $56,790 | 9% below national |
| 278 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $56,790 | 9% below national |
| 279 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $56,620 | 9% below national |
| 280 | Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | $56,580 | 9% below national |
| 281 | Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | $56,580 | 9% below national |
| 282 | Redding, CA | $56,550 | 9% below national |
| 283 | Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area | $56,460 | 10% below national |
| 284 | West Montana nonmetropolitan area | $56,460 | 10% below national |
| 285 | East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area | $56,460 | 10% below national |
| 286 | Johnstown, PA | $56,440 | 10% below national |
| 287 | Lewiston-Auburn, ME | $56,440 | 10% below national |
| 288 | Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $56,390 | 10% below national |
| 289 | Southern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $56,340 | 10% below national |
| 290 | Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $56,330 | 10% below national |
| 291 | East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $56,290 | 10% below national |
| 292 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $56,220 | 10% below national |
| 293 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $56,130 | 10% below national |
| 294 | Chico, CA | $55,990 | 10% below national |
| 295 | Northeast Maine nonmetropolitan area | $55,900 | 11% below national |
| 296 | Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area | $55,900 | 11% below national |
| 297 | Alaska nonmetropolitan area | $55,720 | 11% below national |
| 298 | Bloomington, IL | $55,700 | 11% below national |
| 299 | Northeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $55,620 | 11% below national |
| 300 | Winston-Salem, NC | $55,550 | 11% below national |
| 301 | Ocala, FL | $55,540 | 11% below national |
| 302 | Burlington, NC | $55,530 | 11% below national |
| 303 | Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $55,370 | 11% below national |
| 304 | Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $55,360 | 11% below national |
| 305 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $55,210 | 12% below national |
| 306 | Fairbanks-College, AK | $55,130 | 12% below national |
| 307 | Akron, OH | $55,060 | 12% below national |
| 308 | Jacksonville, FL | $55,060 | 12% below national |
| 309 | Topeka, KS | $55,030 | 12% below national |
| 310 | Bangor, ME | $54,990 | 12% below national |
| 311 | Tulsa, OK | $54,930 | 12% below national |
| 312 | Hattiesburg, MS | $54,870 | 12% below national |
| 313 | Wheeling, WV-OH | $54,400 | 13% below national |
| 314 | Fargo, ND-MN | $54,390 | 13% below national |
| 315 | Punta Gorda, FL | $54,340 | 13% below national |
| 316 | Ogden, UT | $54,260 | 13% below national |
| 317 | Winchester, VA-WV | $54,110 | 13% below national |
| 318 | Bowling Green, KY | $54,080 | 13% below national |
| 319 | South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $53,940 | 14% below national |
| 320 | Youngstown-Warren, OH | $53,570 | 14% below national |
| 321 | Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $53,570 | 14% below national |
| 322 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $53,240 | 15% below national |
| 323 | Tallahassee, FL | $53,060 | 15% below national |
| 324 | Killeen-Temple, TX | $53,000 | 15% below national |
| 325 | Jonesboro, AR | $52,970 | 15% below national |
| 326 | Columbia, MO | $52,870 | 15% below national |
| 327 | Lebanon, PA | $52,870 | 15% below national |
| 328 | Bloomington, IN | $52,760 | 16% below national |
| 329 | Sebring, FL | $52,760 | 16% below national |
| 330 | Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $52,750 | 16% below national |
| 331 | Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $52,290 | 16% below national |
| 332 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $52,110 | 17% below national |
| 333 | Tyler, TX | $52,050 | 17% below national |
| 334 | North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $52,030 | 17% below national |
| 335 | Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $52,030 | 17% below national |
| 336 | Gettysburg, PA | $52,000 | 17% below national |
| 337 | Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $51,950 | 17% below national |
| 338 | Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $51,560 | 17% below national |
| 339 | Saginaw, MI | $51,430 | 18% below national |
| 340 | Ames, IA | $51,360 | 18% below national |
| 341 | Erie, PA | $51,340 | 18% below national |
| 342 | Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $51,320 | 18% below national |
| 343 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $51,240 | 18% below national |
| 344 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $51,230 | 18% below national |
| 345 | Logan, UT-ID | $51,220 | 18% below national |
| 346 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $51,210 | 18% below national |
| 347 | South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $51,050 | 18% below national |
| 348 | Toledo, OH | $50,790 | 19% below national |
| 349 | Lower West Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $50,750 | 19% below national |
| 350 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $50,720 | 19% below national |
| 351 | Middle Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $50,580 | 19% below national |
| 352 | Athens-Clarke County, GA | $50,330 | 19% below national |
| 353 | Texarkana, TX-AR | $50,270 | 20% below national |
| 354 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $50,220 | 20% below national |
| 355 | San Angelo, TX | $50,190 | 20% below national |
| 356 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $50,150 | 20% below national |
| 357 | Macon-Bibb County, GA | $50,080 | 20% below national |
| 358 | Tucson, AZ | $49,990 | 20% below national |
| 359 | Northwestern Idaho nonmetropolitan area | $49,970 | 20% below national |
| 360 | Odessa, TX | $49,820 | 20% below national |
| 361 | Canton-Massillon, OH | $49,730 | 20% below national |
| 362 | Laredo, TX | $49,670 | 20% below national |
| 363 | Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL | $49,660 | 21% below national |
| 364 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $49,590 | 21% below national |
| 365 | West Delta Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $49,570 | 21% below national |
| 366 | Fort Wayne, IN | $49,490 | 21% below national |
| 367 | East Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $49,450 | 21% below national |
| 368 | Wichita, KS | $49,440 | 21% below national |
| 369 | Bay City, MI | $49,310 | 21% below national |
| 370 | Anchorage, AK | $49,190 | 21% below national |
| 371 | Altoona, PA | $49,040 | 21% below national |
| 372 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $49,010 | 22% below national |
| 373 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $48,900 | 22% below national |
| 374 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $48,850 | 22% below national |
| 375 | Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $48,830 | 22% below national |
| 376 | Iowa City, IA | $48,760 | 22% below national |
| 377 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $48,710 | 22% below national |
| 378 | Idaho Falls, ID | $48,670 | 22% below national |
| 379 | Manhattan, KS | $48,640 | 22% below national |
| 380 | Yuma, AZ | $48,590 | 22% below national |
| 381 | Rapid City, SD | $48,350 | 23% below national |
| 382 | Mid Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $48,260 | 23% below national |
| 383 | South Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $48,150 | 23% below national |
| 384 | Springfield, IL | $48,100 | 23% below national |
| 385 | Champaign-Urbana, IL | $48,040 | 23% below national |
| 386 | Central Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $47,890 | 23% below national |
| 387 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $47,850 | 23% below national |
| 388 | Abilene, TX | $47,840 | 23% below national |
| 389 | Williamsport, PA | $47,840 | 23% below national |
| 390 | Peoria, IL | $47,800 | 23% below national |
| 391 | Rockford, IL | $47,740 | 24% below national |
| 392 | Dubuque, IA | $47,690 | 24% below national |
| 393 | East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $47,680 | 24% below national |
| 394 | Alexandria, LA | $47,670 | 24% below national |
| 395 | Owensboro, KY | $47,620 | 24% below national |
| 396 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $47,580 | 24% below national |
| 397 | Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $47,570 | 24% below national |
| 398 | Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | $47,540 | 24% below national |
| 399 | West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $47,540 | 24% below national |
| 400 | East Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $47,540 | 24% below national |
| 401 | Boise City, ID | $47,500 | 24% below national |
| 402 | Gainesville, FL | $47,380 | 24% below national |
| 403 | Kankakee, IL | $47,160 | 25% below national |
| 404 | North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) | $47,150 | 25% below national |
| 405 | Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $47,050 | 25% below national |
| 406 | Longview, TX | $46,870 | 25% below national |
| 407 | West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $46,710 | 25% below national |
| 408 | St. George, UT | $46,610 | 25% below national |
| 409 | Evansville, IN | $46,480 | 26% below national |
| 410 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $46,400 | 26% below national |
| 411 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $46,310 | 26% below national |
| 412 | Corpus Christi, TX | $46,150 | 26% below national |
| 413 | Northwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $45,990 | 26% below national |
| 414 | Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $45,800 | 27% below national |
| 415 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $45,670 | 27% below national |
| 416 | Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $45,640 | 27% below national |
| 417 | Baton Rouge, LA | $45,570 | 27% below national |
| 418 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $45,400 | 27% below national |
| 419 | Amarillo, TX | $45,370 | 27% below national |
| 420 | Lima, OH | $45,270 | 28% below national |
| 421 | West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $45,010 | 28% below national |
| 422 | Paducah, KY-IL | $44,720 | 28% below national |
| 423 | Lawrence, KS | $44,700 | 28% below national |
| 424 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $44,610 | 29% below national |
| 425 | South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $44,540 | 29% below national |
| 426 | Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $44,510 | 29% below national |
| 427 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $44,480 | 29% below national |
| 428 | Yuba City, CA | $44,340 | 29% below national |
| 429 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $44,050 | 29% below national |
| 430 | Lake Charles, LA | $43,520 | 30% below national |
| 431 | Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $43,500 | 30% below national |
| 432 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $43,240 | 31% below national |
| 433 | El Paso, TX | $43,020 | 31% below national |
| 434 | Sherman-Denison, TX | $43,020 | 31% below national |
| 435 | Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $42,980 | 31% below national |
| 436 | Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $42,930 | 31% below national |
| 437 | Hammond, LA | $42,680 | 32% below national |
| 438 | Waco, TX | $42,660 | 32% below national |
| 439 | Southwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $42,620 | 32% below national |
| 440 | Lafayette, LA | $42,060 | 33% below national |
| 441 | Homosassa Springs, FL | $41,680 | 33% below national |
| 442 | North Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $41,600 | 33% below national |
| 443 | Northeast Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $40,980 | 34% below national |
| 444 | Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $40,300 | 35% below national |
| 445 | Monroe, LA | $39,990 | 36% below national |
| 446 | Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $39,520 | 37% below national |
| 447 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $39,140 | 37% below national |
| 448 | Arizona nonmetropolitan area | $39,110 | 37% below national |
| 449 | Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $38,560 | 38% below national |
| 450 | Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | $38,470 | 38% below national |
| 451 | Muncie, IN | $37,920 | 39% below national |
| 452 | Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ | $37,570 | 40% below national |
| 453 | West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $36,840 | 41% below national |
| 454 | West Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $36,780 | 41% below national |
| 455 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $35,990 | 42% below national |
| 456 | Aguadilla, PR | $31,060 | 50% below national |
| 457 | Ponce, PR | $30,800 | 51% below national |
| 458 | Puerto Rico nonmetropolitan area | $27,040 | 57% below national |
| 459 | Mayaguez, PR | $26,440 | 58% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 35 (food preparation and serving) with comparable pay and career paths.
Salary Guides
Primary source data
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Chefs and Head Cooks make? ▼
The median annual salary for Chefs and Head Cooks is $62,470 ($30.03/hour). The salary range spans from $37,900 at the 10th percentile to $98,560 at the 90th percentile.
What state pays Chefs and Head Cooks the most? ▼
Rhode Island pays the highest median salary for Chefs and Head Cooks at $79,930/year, which is +28% above the national median.
What education do you need to become a Chefs and Head Cooks? ▼
The typical entry-level education for Chefs and Head Cooks is High school diploma or equivalent. 5 years or more of related work experience is also typically required.
How dangerous is being a Chefs and Head Cooks? ▼
Chefs and Head Cooks has a safety grade of A (Very Safe) based on BLS data. The fatality rate is 0.6 per 100,000 workers and the injury rate is 2.4 per 100 workers.
Is Chefs and Head Cooks a good career? ▼
Employment for Chefs and Head Cooks is projected to grow 7.1% from 2023 to 2033, which is faster than average. About 24,400 openings are projected each year.
How does Chefs and Head Cooks pay vary by state? ▼
Chefs and Head Cooks salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is Rhode Island at $79,930/year, while Kentucky pays the least at $48,070/year. BLS data covers 53 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Chefs and Head Cooks? ▼
The highest-paying metro area for Chefs and Head Cooks is Terre Haute, IN at $85,920/year. BLS reports wage data for 459 metro areas for this occupation, with pay varying based on local demand and cost of living.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.