Chefs and Head Cooks · Florida

Chefs and Head Cooks Salary in Florida

Chefs and Head Cooks in Florida earn a median annual wage of $58,240 —6.8% below the national median of $62,470. That ranks FL #38 of 51 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$58,240
Median hourly
$28.00
Entry level (P10)
$31,920
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$92,300
90th percentile
Employment
19,670
2.0 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
-6.8%
U.S. $62,470

Wage distribution

How earnings are spread across workers in this occupation, from the 10th to the 90th percentile.

10th percentile90th percentile
$31,920
$43,680
$58,240
$75,840
$31,920$58,240$92,300
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $58,240.

Employment is 1.54× as concentrated as the national average, making Florida a strong market for this occupation.

Highest-paying states for chefs and head cooks

All 51 states ranked by median annual wage. Florida is highlighted.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmploymentLocation quotient
1Rhode Island$79,930$38.437401.15
2Hawaii$77,360$37.191,2401.53
3District of Columbia$76,420$36.742,0202.23
4Washington$76,010$36.545,3201.16
5North Dakota$74,740$35.931000.19
6New Jersey$74,280$35.719,1001.65
7Wyoming$73,170$35.182400.67
8South Carolina$71,860$34.552,6500.89
9New York$70,670$33.9817,4301.40
10Tennessee$69,810$33.563,8200.91

Related occupations in Florida

Occupations in the same job family, compared within Florida.

OccupationFlorida medianU.S. median
Fast Food and Counter Workers$29,080$31,200
Waiters and Waitresses$36,150$35,230
Cooks, Restaurant$37,020$37,390
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$44,470$44,080
Food Preparation Workers$35,920$35,320
Bartenders$35,150$34,340

Frequently asked questions

How much do chefs and head cooks make in Florida?

The median annual wage for chefs and head cooks in Florida is $58,240, or $28.00 per hour. That is 6.8% below the national median of $62,470.

What is the entry-level chefs and head cooks salary in Florida?

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $31,920 per year ($15.35/hour). The 25th percentile is $43,680.

How many people work as chefs and head cooks in Florida?

About 19,670 people work in this occupation in Florida, or 2.0 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is Florida a good state for chefs and head cooks?

Florida ranks #38 of 51 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment is 1.54x as concentrated as the national average, making Florida a strong market for this occupation.

Which state pays chefs and head cooks the most?

Rhode Island has the highest median wage at $79,930 per year, followed by Hawaii ($77,360) and District of Columbia ($76,420).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, cross-industry estimates. Retrieved 2026-10-26. Figures are rounded by BLS to the nearest dollar (annual) and cent (hourly). Percentile wages describe the distribution of workers, not the pay range for a single job posting. bls.gov/oes