Chefs and Head Cooks salary
Chefs and Head Cooks earn a median of $62,470 a year ($30.03/hr) in the U.S. – from $30,800 in Puerto Rico to $79,930 in Rhode Island. Enter your pay below to see how you compare.
Median pay, United States$30.03/hr · $62,470 a year
Pay range
90% earn more$37,900$18.22/hr
75% earn more$48,440$23.29/hr
half earn more, half less$62,470$30.03/hr
25% earn more$78,750$37.86/hr
top 10% earn more$98,560$47.39/hr
pulled up by top earners$66,700$32.07/hr
How does my pay compare?
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Pay by state
States ranked by median annual wage for chefs and head cooks. Tap a state for its minimum wage.
740 jobs · $38.43/hr$79,930
1,240 jobs · $37.19/hr$77,360
2,020 jobs · $36.74/hr$76,420
5,320 jobs · $36.54/hr$76,010
100 jobs · $35.93/hr$74,740
9,100 jobs · $35.71/hr$74,280
240 jobs · $35.18/hr$73,170
2,650 jobs · $34.55/hr$71,860
17,430 jobs · $33.98/hr$70,670
3,820 jobs · $33.56/hr$69,810
6,000 jobs · $33.43/hr$69,540
3,680 jobs · $31.84/hr$66,230
610 jobs · $31.46/hr$65,440
3,970 jobs · $31.44/hr$65,400
31,670 jobs · $31.01/hr$64,500
1,750 jobs · $31.00/hr$64,480
3,080 jobs · $30.92/hr$64,310
9,170 jobs · $30.70/hr$63,860
2,510 jobs · $30.58/hr$63,600
1,170 jobs · $30.48/hr$63,400
3,600 jobs · $30.42/hr$63,270
1,730 jobs · $30.10/hr$62,600
1,000 jobs · $30.00/hr$62,400
3,940 jobs · $29.99/hr$62,380
770 jobs · $29.93/hr$62,250
3,220 jobs · $29.61/hr$61,590
590 jobs · $29.54/hr$61,440
1,860 jobs · $29.47/hr$61,300
4,920 jobs · $29.39/hr$61,130
350 jobs · $29.38/hr$61,100
540 jobs · $29.09/hr$60,510
5,360 jobs · $28.88/hr$60,070
4,080 jobs · $28.79/hr$59,890
1,740 jobs · $28.39/hr$59,060
8,290 jobs · $28.29/hr$58,830
1,430 jobs · $28.14/hr$58,540
860 jobs · $28.07/hr$58,390
19,670 jobs · $28.00/hr$58,240
720 jobs · $27.63/hr$57,470
1,250 jobs · $27.41/hr$57,010
13,270 jobs · $26.96/hr$56,080
840 jobs · $26.37/hr$54,850
4,000 jobs · $25.96/hr$53,990
680 jobs · $25.09/hr$52,190
1,940 jobs · $25.09/hr$52,190
550 jobs · $25.00/hr$52,000
300 jobs · $23.30/hr$48,470
1,790 jobs · $23.11/hr$48,070
1,640 jobs · $23.07/hr$47,990
880 jobs · $22.20/hr$46,170
1,990 jobs · $21.91/hr$45,570
770 jobs · $14.81/hr$30,800
Related jobs
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), SOC code 35-1011. Wages exclude the self-employed. All jobs · Minimum wage by state
Questions & answers
How much do chefs and head cooks make?
The median wage for chefs and head cooks in the U.S. was $30.03 an hour or $62,470 a year in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $48,440 and $78,750 a year.
Which state pays chefs and head cooks the most?
Rhode Island has the highest median wage for chefs and head cooks: $79,930 a year. The lowest published median is in Puerto Rico at $30,800. Living costs also differ a lot between states.
How many chefs and head cooks are there?
BLS estimates 200,040 chefs and head cooks were employed in the U.S. in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
What is the difference between median and average pay?
The median is the middle wage: half of workers earn more and half earn less. The average (mean) adds everyone up and divides, so a few very high earners pull it up. The median is usually the better guide to typical pay.
What does the 10th or 90th percentile mean?
The 10th percentile is the wage that only 10% of workers earn less than – often entry-level pay. The 90th percentile is the wage that only 10% earn more than – usually the most experienced or highest-paid workers.