How much do Chefs and Head Cooks make?
Chefs and Head Cooks earn a median annual salary of $62,470 in the United States, which works out to roughly $30.03 per hour for full-time work. Most earn between $37,900 at the entry level and $98,560 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $48,440 and $78,750 a year.
That is $1,080 more than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Chefs and Head Cooks salary range by percentile
Half of all Chefs and Head Cooks earn between $48,440 and $78,750 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $37,900 | $18.22 | |
| 25th percentile (early career) | $48,440 | $23.29 | |
| 50th percentile (median) | $62,470 | $30.03 | |
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $78,750 | $37.86 | |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $98,560 | $47.38 |
Highest-paying states for Chefs and Head Cooks
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. Rhode Island leads the country for Chefs and Head Cooks pay at $79,930 a year, followed by Hawaii ($77,360) and District of Columbia ($76,420). At the other end, Louisiana posts the lowest median at $45,570 — a gap of $34,360 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
| # | State | Median salary | Hourly | vs national |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | $79,930 | $38.43 | +28% |
| 2 | Hawaii | $77,360 | $37.19 | +24% |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $76,420 | $36.74 | +22% |
| 4 | Washington | $76,010 | $36.54 | +22% |
| 5 | North Dakota | $74,740 | $35.93 | +20% |
Chefs and Head Cooks salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 51 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
Workforce and education
About 200,000 people work as Chefs and Head Cooks in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $66,700 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: no college degree is required — most training happens on the job, per O*NET occupation data.
Frequently asked questions
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Related salaries
Other food service roles with similar pay.