Chefs and Head Cooks Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for chefs and head cooks is $62,470, or $30.03 per hour. About 200,040 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $79,930 in Rhode Island to $45,570 in Louisiana.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 51 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | $79,930 | $38.43 | 740 | 1.15 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $77,360 | $37.19 | 1,240 | 1.53 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $76,420 | $36.74 | 2,020 | 2.23 |
| 4 | Washington | $76,010 | $36.54 | 5,320 | 1.16 |
| 5 | North Dakota | $74,740 | $35.93 | 100 | 0.19 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $74,280 | $35.71 | 9,100 | 1.65 |
| 7 | Wyoming | $73,170 | $35.18 | 240 | 0.67 |
| 8 | South Carolina | $71,860 | $34.55 | 2,650 | 0.89 |
| 9 | New York | $70,670 | $33.98 | 17,430 | 1.40 |
| 10 | Tennessee | $69,810 | $33.56 | 3,820 | 0.91 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $69,540 | $33.43 | 6,000 | 1.28 |
| 12 | Georgia | $66,230 | $31.84 | 3,680 | 0.58 |
| 13 | Vermont | $65,440 | $31.46 | 610 | 1.56 |
| 14 | Colorado | $65,400 | $31.44 | 3,970 | 1.07 |
| 15 | California | $64,500 | $31.01 | 31,670 | 1.35 |
| 16 | Missouri | $64,480 | $31.00 | 1,750 | 0.46 |
| 17 | Connecticut | $64,310 | $30.92 | 3,080 | 1.41 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $63,860 | $30.70 | 9,170 | 1.18 |
| 19 | Oregon | $63,600 | $30.58 | 2,510 | 0.99 |
| 20 | New Hampshire | $63,400 | $30.48 | 1,170 | 1.33 |
| 21 | Virginia | $63,270 | $30.42 | 3,600 | 0.68 |
| 22 | Minnesota | $62,600 | $30.10 | 1,730 | 0.45 |
| 23 | Alabama | $62,400 | $30.00 | 1,000 | 0.37 |
| 24 | Nevada | $62,380 | $29.99 | 3,940 | 1.97 |
| 25 | New Mexico | $62,250 | $29.93 | 770 | 0.69 |
| 26 | Maryland | $61,590 | $29.61 | 3,220 | 0.91 |
| 27 | Delaware | $61,440 | $29.54 | 590 | 0.95 |
| 28 | Wisconsin | $61,300 | $29.47 | 1,860 | 0.49 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $61,130 | $29.39 | 4,920 | 0.77 |
| 30 | West Virginia | $61,100 | $29.38 | 350 | 0.38 |
| 31 | Nebraska | $60,510 | $29.09 | 540 | 0.41 |
| 32 | Michigan | $60,070 | $28.88 | 5,360 | 0.95 |
| 33 | Arizona | $59,890 | $28.79 | 4,080 | 0.98 |
| 34 | Utah | $59,060 | $28.39 | 1,740 | 0.78 |
| 35 | Illinois | $58,830 | $28.29 | 8,290 | 1.06 |
| 36 | Oklahoma | $58,540 | $28.14 | 1,430 | 0.65 |
| 37 | Kansas | $58,390 | $28.07 | 860 | 0.46 |
| 38 | Florida | $58,240 | $28.00 | 19,670 | 1.54 |
| 39 | Montana | $57,470 | $27.63 | 720 | 1.09 |
| 40 | Maine | $57,010 | $27.41 | 1,250 | 1.52 |
| 41 | Texas | $56,080 | $26.96 | 13,270 | 0.73 |
| 42 | Mississippi | $54,850 | $26.37 | 840 | 0.56 |
| 43 | Ohio | $53,990 | $25.96 | 4,000 | 0.56 |
| 44 | Indiana | $52,190 | $25.09 | 1,940 | 0.47 |
| 45 | Alaska | $52,190 | $25.09 | 680 | 1.61 |
| 46 | Idaho | $52,000 | $25.00 | 550 | 0.50 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $48,470 | $23.30 | 300 | 0.51 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $48,070 | $23.11 | 1,790 | 0.70 |
| 49 | Iowa | $47,990 | $23.07 | 1,640 | 0.82 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $46,170 | $22.20 | 880 | 0.53 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $45,570 | $21.91 | 1,990 | 0.80 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do chefs and head cooks make?
The median annual wage for chefs and head cooks in the United States is $62,470, or $30.03 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $37,900, and the top 10% earn $98,560.
How many chefs and head cooks are employed in the U.S.?
About 200,040 people work as chefs and head cooks nationwide.
Which state pays chefs and head cooks the most?
Rhode Island pays the most at a median of $79,930, followed by Hawaii ($77,360) and District of Columbia ($76,420).
Which state pays chefs and head cooks the least?
Louisiana has the lowest median at $45,570.
Where are chefs and head cooks jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is District of Columbia at 2.23×.