Walla Walla, WA · SOC 35-1011

Chefs and Head Cooks in Walla Walla

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

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Median Salary

$68,120

per year in Walla Walla

+9% above

National Median

$62,470

per year nationally

Hourly Rate

$32.75/hr

median hourly

Employment

40

jobs in Walla Walla

BLS metro-level wage data places Chefs and Head Cooks pay in Walla Walla, WA at a median of $68,120 per year ($32.75/hr/hour), drawn from the OEWS May 2025 release for this Metropolitan Statistical Area. Compared to the national median of $62,470, Walla Walla pays +9% above, signaling either concentrated employer demand, a cost-of-living premium, or both. Approximately 40 chefs and head cookss are employed across the Walla Walla MSA in SOC 35-1011.

The Walla Walla pay distribution spans from $45,820 at the 10th percentile to $75,310 at the 90th — a 1.6× 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 $51,380 and the 75th at $73,260, so half of Walla Walla-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 Walla Walla, WA 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 WA data, and peer-metro comparisons — a median is a starting point, not a ceiling.

Salary Range in Walla Walla

Annual Salary Distribution

$45,820$51,380$68,120$73,260$75,310
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

10th Percentile

$45,820

25th Percentile

$51,380

Median

$68,120

75th Percentile

$73,260

90th Percentile

$75,310

Top Paying Jobs in Walla Walla

Similar Occupations in Walla Walla

Other roles inside the Walla Walla, WA MSA from the same SOC major group.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Chefs and Head Cooks make in Walla Walla?
The median annual salary for Chefs and Head Cooks in Walla Walla, WA is $68,120 ($32.75/hour). The salary range spans from $45,820 at the 10th percentile to $75,310 at the 90th percentile.
Is Walla Walla a good place to work as a Chefs and Head Cooks?
Chefs and Head Cooks in Walla Walla, WA earns +9% above the national median of $62,470. There are approximately 40 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.

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