Chefs and Head Cooks salary
Food & hospitality · OCC code 35-1011 · gross annual wage · BLS OEWS May 2024
Chefs and Head Cooks in the US earn a median of $60,990 per year (mean $64,720) as of the BLS OEWS May 2024 survey — that is +23.2% versus the $49,500 median for all US jobs, above the US median wage for all jobs. The middle half earn between $47,710 and $76,790; the top 10% earn $96,030 or more. The median hourly wage is $29.32. About 182,320 are employed nationally. The highest-paying state is Hawaii ($81,200). Wages are gross (pre-tax) and vary by employer, experience and location.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
Chefs and Head Cooks pay range (national percentiles)
What chefs and head cooks earn across the pay distribution, nationally (BLS OEWS, May 2024):
| Pay level | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-paid 10%) | $36,000 |
| 25th percentile | $47,710 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $60,990 |
| Mean (average) | $64,720 |
| 75th percentile | $76,790 |
| 90th percentile (highest-paid 10%) | $96,030 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
A dash (—) means BLS did not release that figure; a plus (+) means the wage is at or above the BLS top code of $239,200/yr. See what wage percentiles mean or check where your salary ranks.
Chefs and Head Cooks salary by state
Median and mean wage for chefs and head cooks in each of the 51 states with published data, highest median first. The national median is $60,990.
| # | State | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $81,200 | $92,690 | 830 |
| 2 | Rhode Island | $79,160 | $87,950 | 700 |
| 3 | North Dakota | $76,630 | $71,280 | 90 |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $74,000 | $79,090 | 1,940 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $71,330 | $75,900 | 5,330 |
| 6 | Washington | $69,800 | $71,430 | 3,840 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $69,660 | $75,020 | 6,060 |
| 8 | California | $66,780 | $71,350 | 26,500 |
| 9 | Delaware | $65,290 | $67,330 | 490 |
| 10 | Wyoming | $64,790 | $69,510 | 330 |
| 11 | New York | $64,300 | $70,200 | 15,420 |
| 12 | Colorado | $63,990 | $67,380 | 4,180 |
| 13 | Vermont | $63,270 | $68,650 | 530 |
| 14 | Alabama | $62,670 | $63,800 | 1,280 |
| 15 | Connecticut | $62,540 | $71,630 | 3,600 |
| 16 | Maryland | $61,990 | $64,130 | 3,310 |
| 17 | Arizona | $61,950 | $65,930 | 3,260 |
| 18 | Illinois | $61,450 | $63,360 | 5,540 |
| 19 | South Carolina | $61,290 | $64,050 | 2,000 |
| 20 | West Virginia | $60,790 | $65,150 | 310 |
| 21 | Oregon | $60,270 | $63,720 | 3,640 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $60,170 | $62,300 | 2,130 |
| 23 | North Carolina | $59,810 | $66,330 | 4,100 |
| 24 | Virginia | $59,780 | $62,120 | 3,900 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | $59,630 | $62,500 | 7,060 |
| 26 | Florida | $59,580 | $62,540 | 17,170 |
| 27 | Tennessee | $59,470 | $62,210 | 2,720 |
| 28 | Minnesota | $59,430 | $63,800 | 1,630 |
| 29 | Missouri | $59,220 | $62,180 | 1,590 |
| 30 | Nevada | $58,590 | $62,140 | 4,560 |
| 31 | Michigan | $58,430 | $59,170 | 5,310 |
| 32 | New Hampshire | $58,400 | $61,370 | 1,260 |
| 33 | Nebraska | $58,390 | $66,690 | 600 |
| 34 | Kansas | $58,290 | $60,920 | 980 |
| 35 | Alaska | $57,610 | $60,810 | 780 |
| 36 | Indiana | $57,140 | $60,190 | 1,140 |
| 37 | Ohio | $56,700 | $60,700 | 4,040 |
| 38 | Maine | $55,860 | $57,550 | 1,290 |
| 39 | Montana | $55,650 | $58,090 | 500 |
| 40 | New Mexico | $55,170 | $60,750 | 400 |
| 41 | Oklahoma | $53,310 | $51,420 | 1,210 |
| 42 | Georgia | $51,630 | $57,970 | 4,390 |
| 43 | Texas | $51,050 | $55,130 | 16,550 |
| 44 | Idaho | $50,010 | $54,940 | 420 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $49,060 | $56,450 | 950 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $46,510 | $47,900 | 290 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $44,990 | $50,150 | 950 |
| 48 | Utah | $44,490 | $50,400 | 1,880 |
| 49 | Kentucky | $44,220 | $51,800 | 1,860 |
| 50 | Iowa | $43,690 | $48,630 | 1,500 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $38,340 | $44,940 | 1,860 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
Highest median: Hawaii ($81,200). Lowest: Louisiana ($38,340).
Similar-paying jobs
| Occupation | Median wage | Mean wage | vs US median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chefs and Head Cooks (this job) | $60,990 | $64,720 | +23.2% |
| Paralegals and Legal Assistants | $61,010 | $66,510 | +23.3% |
| Sheet Metal Workers | $60,850 | $66,110 | +22.9% |
| Graphic Designers | $61,300 | $68,610 | +23.8% |
| Insurance Sales Agents | $60,370 | $81,510 | +22.0% |
| Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers | $59,810 | $62,690 | +20.8% |
Paralegals and Legal Assistants · Sheet Metal Workers · Graphic Designers · Insurance Sales Agents · Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
Frequently asked questions
How much do chefs and head cooks make?
Chefs and Head Cooks earn a national median of $60,990 per year (mean $64,720) as of the BLS OEWS May 2024 survey. The middle half earn between $47,710 (25th percentile) and $76,790 (75th percentile); the top 10% earn $96,030 or more and the bottom 10% earn under $36,000. These are gross, pre-tax wages.
What is the hourly wage for chefs and head cooks?
The median hourly wage is $29.32 and the mean is $31.11 (BLS OEWS, May 2024). BLS reports some occupations only as annual wages, in which case hourly figures are shown as a dash.
Which state pays chefs and head cooks the most?
Hawaii has the highest median wage for chefs and head cooks at $81,200, versus a national median of $60,990. State pay reflects local cost of living, demand and industry mix. See the full state table on this page.
How many chefs and head cooks are there in the US?
BLS estimates about 182,320 chefs and head cooks are employed in the US (OEWS, May 2024). Among the 124 occupations tracked here, this job ranks #82 of 124 by median pay.
Keep exploring
Sources & accuracy
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 (OCC 35-1011), gross annual wages, U.S. public domain, retrieved June 2026. OEWS figures are survey estimates and reflect pay before tax. Your actual pay depends on employer, experience, certifications, industry and location. This is information, not financial or career advice — see our methodology and disclaimer.
Last updated: 2026-06-20