BLS metro-level wage data places Chefs and Head Cooks pay in Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area at a median of $66,550 per year ($31.99/hr/hour), drawn from the OEWS May 2025 release for this Metropolitan Statistical Area. Compared to the national median of $62,470, Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area pays +7% above, signaling either concentrated employer demand, a cost-of-living premium, or both. Approximately 140 chefs and head cookss are employed across the Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area MSA in SOC 35-1011.

The Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area pay distribution spans from $43,360 at the 10th percentile to $97,630 at the 90th — a 2.3× spread that reflects experience tenure, specialization, employer size, and the difference between public-sector, nonprofit, and private-sector compensation inside the metro. The 25th percentile sits at $49,750 and the 75th at $97,630, so half of Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area-based chefs and head cookss earn within that middle band.

Metro figures capture where you actually work, not just where you live — which matters for commuters. BLS draws metro boundaries from the OMB MSA definitions, so Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area covers the central city plus outlying counties tied to the metro economically. Remember that OEWS wages reflect base pay only: employer-provided health insurance, retirement matches, stock options, signing bonuses, overtime, and tips are excluded and can add 20-40% to real total compensation. Before using this metro median as a negotiation anchor, triangulate against the same occupation's national profile (linked below), its state-wide NM data, and peer-metro comparisons — a median is a starting point, not a ceiling.