Chef and Head Cook Salary in New Jersey
Median annual pay in New Jersey
$74,280
$35.71/hour
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Adjusted for cost of living in New Jersey
$68,269
Regional Price Parity: 108.805 (U.S. = 100)
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Difference from the U.S. median ($62,470): +$11,810 (+18.9%)
New Jersey ranks 6th of 51 states by median pay, and 13th of 51 after adjusting for cost of living.
Pay
| Annual | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $49,200 | $23.66 |
| 25th percentile | $59,860 | $28.78 |
| Median | $74,280 | $35.71 |
| 75th percentile | $82,200 | $39.52 |
| 90th percentile | $100,100 | $48.13 |
Employment
- Employment in New Jersey
- 9,100
Advertisements
Comparison
Compared with the U.S.
- Median annual pay in New Jersey
- $74,280
- Median annual pay in the U.S.
- $62,470
- Difference
- +$11,810 (+18.9%)
Cost of living
$74,280 ÷ 108.805 × 100 = $68,269
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Ranking
| Rank | Median annual pay | Adjusted for cost of living (annual) |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | ||
| 4th | $76,010 | $71,029 6th |
| North Dakota | ||
| 5th | $74,740 | $84,016 1st |
| New Jersey This page | ||
| 6th | $74,280 | $68,269 13th |
| Wyoming | ||
| 7th | $73,170 | $78,940 2nd |
| South Carolina | ||
| 8th | $71,860 | $76,651 4th |
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 publishes employment projections only for the U.S. as a whole. BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35
Advertisements
Chef and Head Cook salary in nearby places
- Chef and Head Cook salary in Delaware
$61,440/year Delaware
- Chef and Head Cook salary in New York
$70,670/year New York
- Chef and Head Cook salary in Pennsylvania
$63,860/year Pennsylvania
- Chef and Head Cook salary in the U.S.
$62,470/year U.S.
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.
- Neighboring states: U.S. Census Bureau, County Adjacency File, 2024.
Last updated