Erie, PA · SOC 35-1011

Chefs and Head Cooks in the Erie Metro

Metro area salary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025)

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Geography used: wage and employment figures cover the full Erie, PA BLS wage area, not only its central city; the comparison figure is the United States national estimate. Verify with the BLS OEWS source tables.

Median Salary

$51,340

per year in the Erie metro

18% below

National Median

$62,470

per year nationally

Hourly Rate

$24.68/hr

median hourly

Employment

150

jobs in the Erie metro

The Erie pay distribution spans from $34,270 at the 10th percentile to $78,520 at the 90th, a 2.3× observed spread. Differences in specialization, employer, sector, location, credentials, schedule, and experience may all contribute, but OEWS does not isolate their effects. The 25th percentile sits at $42,410 and the 75th at $69,120, so half of Erie-based chefs and head cooks earn within that middle band.

Metro figures use establishment work location, not worker residence. BLS draws metro boundaries from the OMB MSA definitions, so Erie, PA covers the central city plus outlying counties tied to the metro economically. OEWS includes straight-time pay, tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses. It excludes employer health and retirement benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, signing bonuses, and other nonproduction bonuses. The same occupation's national profile, statewide PA estimate, and peer-metro rows provide distinct geographic comparisons. A published median is a benchmark, not a prediction or ceiling for one worker.

Salary Range in the Erie Metro

Annual Salary Distribution

10th$34,270
25th$42,410
Median$51,340
75th$69,120
90th$78,520

Top Paying Jobs in Erie

1. Family Medicine Physicians Small sample: Small sample: this BLS estimate rests on 40 workers (fewer than 100). $277,880 2. Nurse Anesthetists Small sample: Small sample: this BLS estimate rests on 70 workers (fewer than 100). $212,120 3. Chief Executives $170,340 4. Architectural and Engineering Managers $149,380 5. Dentists, General Small sample: Small sample: this BLS estimate rests on 80 workers (fewer than 100). $137,530 6. Purchasing Managers Small sample: Small sample: this BLS estimate rests on 40 workers (fewer than 100). $135,580 7. Optometrists Small sample: Small sample: this BLS estimate rests on 40 workers (fewer than 100). $134,230 8. Computer and Information Systems Managers $131,610 9. Pharmacists $128,360 10. Lawyers $128,130

Small sample marks a row whose BLS estimate rests on fewer than 100 workers. It is still a published figure, but BLS reports more sampling error for cells this small: the median relative standard error of the mean wage is 3.4% under 100 workers against 2.1% at 100 or more (May 2025 metro estimates). Small gaps in rank between neighbouring rows may not be meaningful.

Similar Occupations in Erie

Other roles inside the Erie, PA MSA from the same SOC major group.

Bartenders

in Erie

Cooks, All Other

in Erie

Cooks, Fast Food

in Erie

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria

in Erie

Cooks, Private Household

in Erie
Compare Chefs and Head Cooks against another occupation → ← National Chefs and Head Cooks salary Chefs and Head Cooks in PA →

How much do Chefs and Head Cooks make in the Erie metro area?

How much do Chefs and Head Cooks make in the Erie metro area? ▼
The median annual salary for Chefs and Head Cooks in Erie, PA is $51,340 ($24.68/hour). The salary range spans from $34,270 at the 10th percentile to $78,520 at the 90th percentile.
How does Chefs and Head Cooks pay in the Erie metro compare nationally? ▼
Chefs and Head Cooks pay in Erie, PA is 18% below the national median of $62,470. There are approximately 150 Chefs and Head Cooks jobs in this metro area.

Last updated: May 2025 (BLS OEWS annual release). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage figures are computed directly from BLS OEWS data for the full Erie, PA wage area. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.