Chef and Head Cook Salary in the U.S.
Median annual pay in the U.S.
$62,470
$30.03/hour
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Pay
| Annual | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $37,900 | $18.22 |
| 25th percentile | $48,440 | $23.29 |
| Median | $62,470 | $30.03 |
| 75th percentile | $78,750 | $37.86 |
| 90th percentile | $98,560 | $47.39 |
Employment
- Employment in the U.S.
- 200,040
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Comparison
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
| Rank | Median annual pay | Adjusted for cost of living (annual) |
|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | ||
| 1st | $79,930 | $78,148 3rd |
| Hawaii | ||
| 2nd | $77,360 | $70,359 8th |
| District of Columbia | ||
| 3rd | $76,420 | $69,535 10th |
| Washington | ||
| 4th | $76,010 | $71,029 6th |
| North Dakota | ||
| 5th | $74,740 | $84,016 1st |
| New Jersey | ||
| 6th | $74,280 | $68,269 13th |
| Wyoming | ||
| 7th | $73,170 | $78,940 2nd |
| South Carolina | ||
| 8th | $71,860 | $76,651 4th |
| New York | ||
| 9th | $70,670 | $65,483 19th |
| Tennessee | ||
| 10th | $69,810 | $75,988 5th |
| Massachusetts | ||
| 11th | $69,540 | $65,755 18th |
| Georgia | ||
| 12th | $66,230 | $68,780 11th |
| Vermont | ||
| 13th | $65,440 | $66,804 16th |
| Colorado | ||
| 14th | $65,400 | $63,463 25th |
| California | ||
| 15th | $64,500 | $58,255 40th |
| Missouri | ||
| 16th | $64,480 | $71,000 7th |
| Connecticut | ||
| 17th | $64,310 | $62,069 30th |
| Pennsylvania | ||
| 18th | $63,860 | $65,449 20th |
| Oregon | ||
| 19th | $63,600 | $61,532 32nd |
| New Hampshire | ||
| 20th | $63,400 | $60,865 33rd |
| Virginia | ||
| 21st | $63,270 | $62,579 27th |
| Minnesota | ||
| 22nd | $62,600 | $63,475 24th |
| Alabama | ||
| 23rd | $62,400 | $70,252 9th |
| Nevada | ||
| 24th | $62,380 | $62,393 29th |
| New Mexico | ||
| 25th | $62,250 | $67,507 14th |
| Maryland | ||
| 26th | $61,590 | $58,680 39th |
| Delaware | ||
| 27th | $61,440 | $61,558 31st |
| Wisconsin | ||
| 28th | $61,300 | $65,147 21st |
| North Carolina | ||
| 29th | $61,130 | $64,807 23rd |
| West Virginia | ||
| 30th | $61,100 | $68,270 12th |
| Nebraska | ||
| 31st | $60,510 | $67,156 15th |
| Michigan | ||
| 32nd | $60,070 | $62,432 28th |
| Arizona | ||
| 33rd | $59,890 | $59,487 36th |
| Utah | ||
| 34th | $59,060 | $59,739 35th |
| Illinois | ||
| 35th | $58,830 | $58,855 37th |
| Oklahoma | ||
| 36th | $58,540 | $66,642 17th |
| Kansas | ||
| 37th | $58,390 | $64,829 22nd |
| Florida | ||
| 38th | $58,240 | $56,317 43rd |
| Montana | ||
| 39th | $57,470 | $60,722 34th |
| Maine | ||
| 40th | $57,010 | $58,743 38th |
| Texas | ||
| 41st | $56,080 | $57,780 42nd |
| Mississippi | ||
| 42nd | $54,850 | $63,080 26th |
| Ohio | ||
| 43rd | $53,990 | $58,195 41st |
| Alaska | ||
| 44th | $52,190 | $50,987 51st |
| Indiana | ||
| 44th | $52,190 | $55,920 44th |
| Idaho | ||
| 46th | $52,000 | $54,454 47th |
| South Dakota | ||
| 47th | $48,470 | $54,715 45th |
| Kentucky | ||
| 48th | $48,070 | $53,317 48th |
| Iowa | ||
| 49th | $47,990 | $54,682 46th |
| Arkansas | ||
| 50th | $46,170 | $53,107 49th |
| Louisiana | ||
| 51st | $45,570 | $51,663 50th |
Places with the same median share a rank and are listed alphabetically.
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Similar occupations
Related occupations from O*NET, in O*NET's order, with their BLS median pay. Each figure shows the place it is for.
- Baker salary in the U.S.
$37,160/year U.S.
- Food Service Manager salary in the U.S.
$69,390/year U.S.
- Waiter and Waitress salary in the U.S.
$35,230/year U.S.
- Dietetic Technician salary in the U.S.
$37,640/year U.S.
- Food Preparation Worker salary in the U.S.
$35,320/year U.S.
- Fast Food and Counter Worker salary in the U.S.
$31,200/year U.S.
Outlook
- Projected employment change, 2025–35 (U.S.)
- +6.6%
- Typical education needed for entry (U.S.)
- High school diploma or equivalent
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35
Sources and update
- Wages and employment: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.
- Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
- Related occupations: O*NET® 31.0 Database, CC BY 4.0. Attributions
- Employment projections and typical education: BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Last updated