Average Salary for Chefs and Head Cooks
SOC 35-1011 · Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations · 2024 data
The median annual wage for Chefs and Head Cooks in the United States is $60,990 ($29.32/hr), based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Wages range from $36,000 at the 10th percentile to $96,030 at the 90th percentile nationally. An estimated 182,320 people work in this occupation across the country. The national median wage has grown 46.6% since 2014.
Median Annual
$60,990
Mean Annual
$64,720
10th Pct
$36,000
75th Pct
$76,790
Employment
182,320
Salary Distribution
$36k
10th
$48k
25th
$61k
Median
$77k
75th
$96k
90th
Highest Paying Metro Areas
| Metro Area | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $87,410 |
| Morgantown, WV | $87,280 |
| Terre Haute, IN | $83,880 |
| Alexandria, LA | $80,290 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $78,390 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $78,050 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $77,380 |
| Napa, CA | $76,350 |
| Naples-Marco Island, FL | $74,990 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $74,970 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $74,640 |
| Salinas, CA | $73,260 |
| Vineland, NJ | $72,740 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | $72,570 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $72,220 |
Salary by State
| State | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $81,200 |
| Rhode Island | $79,160 |
| North Dakota | $76,630 |
| District of Columbia | $74,000 |
| Massachusetts | $71,330 |
| Washington | $69,800 |
| New Jersey | $69,660 |
| California | $66,780 |
| Delaware | $65,290 |
| Wyoming | $64,790 |
| New York | $64,300 |
| Colorado | $63,990 |
| Vermont | $63,270 |
| Alabama | $62,670 |
| Connecticut | $62,540 |
| Maryland | $61,990 |
| Arizona | $61,950 |
| Virgin Islands | $61,930 |
| Illinois | $61,450 |
| South Carolina | $61,290 |
| West Virginia | $60,790 |
| Oregon | $60,270 |
| Wisconsin | $60,170 |
| North Carolina | $59,810 |
| Virginia | $59,780 |
| Pennsylvania | $59,630 |
| Florida | $59,580 |
| Tennessee | $59,470 |
| Minnesota | $59,430 |
| Missouri | $59,220 |
| Nevada | $58,590 |
| Michigan | $58,430 |
| New Hampshire | $58,400 |
| Nebraska | $58,390 |
| Kansas | $58,290 |
| Alaska | $57,610 |
| Indiana | $57,140 |
| Ohio | $56,700 |
| Maine | $55,860 |
| Montana | $55,650 |
| New Mexico | $55,170 |
| Oklahoma | $53,310 |
| Georgia | $51,630 |
| Texas | $51,050 |
| Idaho | $50,010 |
| Arkansas | $49,060 |
| South Dakota | $46,510 |
| Mississippi | $44,990 |
| Utah | $44,490 |
| Kentucky | $44,220 |
| Iowa | $43,690 |
| Guam | $39,390 |
| Louisiana | $38,340 |
| Puerto Rico | $36,190 |
Salary by Industry
National median wage for Chefs and Head Cooks broken down by industry sector, 2024 data.
| Industry | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities | $101,300 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $90,560 |
| Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $90,560 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers | $87,030 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers | $87,030 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $86,840 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $86,840 |
| Construction | $85,610 |
| Finance and Insurance | $82,840 |
| Wholesale Trade | $79,760 |
| Office Administrative Services | $78,800 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4244 and 4248 only) | $78,470 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers | $77,980 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods | $76,760 |
| Facilities Support Services | $76,600 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $76,280 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $76,280 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $75,940 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $75,940 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $75,940 |
| Rail Transportation | $75,050 |
| Rail Transportation | $75,050 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | $74,920 |
| Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations | $74,290 |
| Administrative and Support Services | $72,670 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | $72,670 |
| Traveler Accommodation | $72,430 |
| Accommodation | $71,770 |
| Other Support Services | $71,740 |
| Grantmaking and Giving Services | $71,600 |
| Motion Picture and Video Exhibition | $71,530 |
| Other Amusement and Recreation Industries | $70,650 |
| Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water | $70,250 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | $69,700 |
| Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries | $68,750 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | $68,070 |
| Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions | $68,070 |
| Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions | $68,070 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $67,730 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | $66,750 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing | $66,490 |
| Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations | $65,250 |
| Civic and Social Organizations | $65,200 |
| Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals | $65,170 |
| Special Food Services | $64,830 |
| Gambling Industries | $64,720 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers | $64,440 |
| Religious Organizations | $63,790 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | $63,700 |
| Other Food Manufacturing | $63,450 |
| Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events | $63,110 |
| Amusement Parks and Arcades | $63,090 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters | $62,710 |
| Performing Arts Companies | $62,700 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $62,640 |
| Social Advocacy Organizations | $62,620 |
| Outpatient Care Centers | $62,440 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $62,350 |
| Hospitals | $62,320 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $62,290 |
| State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $62,210 |
| Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries | $62,090 |
| Manufacturing | $61,770 |
| Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing | $61,250 |
| Beverage Manufacturing | $61,250 |
| Casino Hotels | $61,120 |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $60,950 |
| Food Manufacturing | $60,850 |
| Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences | $60,770 |
| Junior Colleges | $60,660 |
| Accommodation and Food Services | $60,580 |
| Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services | $60,240 |
| Personal Care Services | $60,100 |
| Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals | $59,840 |
| Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation | $59,530 |
| Full-Service Restaurants | $59,490 |
| Food Services and Drinking Places | $59,450 |
| Educational Services | $59,230 |
| Temporary Help Services | $59,170 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) | $58,070 |
| Restaurants and Other Eating Places | $57,920 |
| RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Recreational Camps | $57,790 |
| Spectator Sports | $57,610 |
| Employment Services | $57,580 |
| Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) | $57,570 |
| Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing | $57,510 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | $57,350 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $56,870 |
| Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities | $56,490 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly | $56,390 |
| Nursing and Residential Care Facilities | $56,380 |
| Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, Book, and Miscellaneous Retailers | $56,320 |
| Furniture, Home Furnishings, Electronics, and Appliance Retailers | $56,310 |
| Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities | $55,920 |
| Social Assistance | $55,640 |
| Miscellaneous Store Retailers (4594 and 4595 only) | $55,340 |
| Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $54,640 |
| Ambulatory Health Care Services | $53,970 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools | $53,250 |
| Child Care Services | $53,190 |
| Educational Services | $52,040 |
| Rooming and Boarding Houses, Dormitories, and Workers' Camps | $51,010 |
| Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities | $50,950 |
| Other Residential Care Facilities | $50,230 |
| Food and Beverage Retailers | $49,920 |
| Retail Trade | $49,920 |
| Individual and Family Services | $49,820 |
| Food and Beverage Retailers (4451 and 4452 only) | $49,380 |
| Offices of Physicians | $48,750 |
| Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities | $43,690 |
| Technical and Trade Schools | $43,670 |
| Gasoline Stations and Fuel Dealers | $26,100 |
| Gasoline Stations | $26,100 |
National Wage Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $60,990 |
| 2023 | $58,920 |
| 2022 | $56,520 |
| 2021 | $50,160 |
| 2020 | $53,380 |
| 2019 | $51,530 |
| 2018 | $48,460 |
| 2017 | $45,950 |
| 2016 | $43,180 |
| 2015 | $41,500 |
| 2014 | $41,610 |