Chefs and Head Cooks · Missouri

Chefs and Head Cooks Salary in Missouri

Chefs and Head Cooks in Missouri earn a median annual wage of $64,480 —3.2% above the national median of $62,470. That ranks MO #16 of 51 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$64,480
Median hourly
$31.00
Entry level (P10)
$39,650
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$91,500
90th percentile
Employment
1,750
0.6 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
+3.2%
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
$39,650
$49,550
$64,480
$76,520
$39,650$64,480$91,500
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $64,480.

Employment is only 0.46× as concentrated as the national average — this occupation is relatively scarce in Missouri.

Highest-paying states for chefs and head cooks

All 51 states ranked by median annual wage. Missouri 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 Missouri

Occupations in the same job family, compared within Missouri.

OccupationMissouri medianU.S. median
Fast Food and Counter Workers$30,390$31,200
Waiters and Waitresses$29,400$35,230
Cooks, Restaurant$36,940$37,390
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$37,400$44,080
Food Preparation Workers$31,510$35,320
Bartenders$30,090$34,340

Frequently asked questions

How much do chefs and head cooks make in Missouri?

The median annual wage for chefs and head cooks in Missouri is $64,480, or $31.00 per hour. That is 3.2% above the national median of $62,470.

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

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $39,650 per year ($19.06/hour). The 25th percentile is $49,550.

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

About 1,750 people work in this occupation in Missouri, or 0.6 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is Missouri a good state for chefs and head cooks?

Missouri ranks #16 of 51 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment is only 0.46x as concentrated as the national average, so this occupation is relatively scarce in Missouri.

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