SOC 35-1011 · Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations
Chefs and Head Cooks wages by metro
National median annual wage
$62,470
- 10th percentile
- $37,900
- 25th percentile
- $48,440
- Median
- $62,470
- 75th percentile
- $78,750
- 90th percentile
- $98,560
- Mean
- $66,700
Annual wage from the May 2025 OEWS estimates.
National employment in May 2025: 200,040.
That median is 22.5% higher than the all-occupations national median of $50,980.
The metro and state figures below are the same May 2025 release. A blank wage means BLS did not publish it. See when a wage is not published.
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Highest published medians
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terre Haute, IN | 50 | $28,190 | $85,920 | $98,510 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | 250 | $55,400 | $84,990 | $129,410 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | 470 | $51,640 | $84,430 | $96,730 |
| Morgantown, WV | 70 | $37,160 | $81,330 | $97,970 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 3,740 | $50,810 | $80,330 | $99,570 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | 1,070 | $49,340 | $79,340 | $117,920 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 1,280 | $46,590 | $79,020 | $117,340 |
| Napa, CA | 300 | $44,390 | $78,960 | $136,010 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | 900 | $50,500 | $75,740 | $95,530 |
| Vineland, NJ | 100 | $32,780 | $75,050 | $95,750 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | 140 | $49,680 | $74,940 | $90,590 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 4,680 | $43,110 | $74,900 | $102,870 |
| Kingston, NY | 140 | $44,890 | $74,710 | $113,330 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 2,370 | $46,260 | $74,660 | $100,970 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | 740 | $48,970 | $74,380 | $109,220 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | 640 | $48,500 | $74,290 | $103,510 |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | 770 | $47,480 | $74,210 | $87,600 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | 100 | $48,220 | $73,750 | $88,540 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | 240 | $53,060 | $73,690 | $102,220 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | 80 | $47,760 | $73,690 | $81,330 |
Where employment is largest
States and territories
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | 740 | $56,680 | $79,930 | $127,080 |
| Hawaii | 1,240 | $48,970 | $77,360 | $118,000 |
| District of Columbia | 2,020 | $56,570 | $76,420 | $104,660 |
| Washington | 5,320 | $49,920 | $76,010 | $95,990 |
| North Dakota | 100 | $48,240 | $74,740 | $85,190 |
| New Jersey | 9,100 | $49,200 | $74,280 | $100,100 |
| Wyoming | 240 | $48,460 | $73,170 | $98,580 |
| South Carolina | 2,650 | $47,640 | $71,860 | $88,880 |
| New York | 17,430 | $46,260 | $70,670 | $120,370 |
| Tennessee | 3,820 | $45,410 | $69,810 | $98,860 |
| Massachusetts | 6,000 | $47,460 | $69,540 | $99,270 |
| Georgia | 3,680 | $43,300 | $66,230 | $100,970 |
| Vermont | 610 | $48,950 | $65,440 | $83,040 |
| Colorado | 3,970 | $46,330 | $65,400 | $93,270 |
| California | 31,670 | $37,380 | $64,500 | $101,870 |
| Missouri | 1,750 | $39,650 | $64,480 | $91,500 |
| Connecticut | 3,080 | $44,530 | $64,310 | $99,870 |
| Virgin Islands | 260 | $37,270 | $63,960 | $103,350 |
| Pennsylvania | 9,170 | $39,040 | $63,860 | $95,830 |
| Oregon | 2,510 | $45,910 | $63,600 | $95,180 |
| New Hampshire | 1,170 | $40,220 | $63,400 | $95,990 |
| Virginia | 3,600 | $43,010 | $63,270 | $90,470 |
| Minnesota | 1,730 | $48,400 | $62,600 | $95,890 |
| Alabama | 1,000 | $39,940 | $62,400 | $85,990 |
| Nevada | 3,940 | $36,410 | $62,380 | $100,980 |
| New Mexico | 770 | $43,370 | $62,250 | $100,010 |
| Maryland | 3,220 | $38,310 | $61,590 | $100,330 |
| Delaware | 590 | $49,920 | $61,440 | $84,680 |
| Wisconsin | 1,860 | $41,990 | $61,300 | $87,570 |
| North Carolina | 4,920 | $38,210 | $61,130 | $92,210 |
| West Virginia | 350 | $40,520 | $61,100 | $88,690 |
| Nebraska | 540 | $39,650 | $60,510 | $99,990 |
| Michigan | 5,360 | $42,170 | $60,070 | $82,000 |
| Arizona | 4,080 | $33,970 | $59,890 | $95,240 |
| Utah | 1,740 | $27,940 | $59,060 | $79,420 |
| Illinois | 8,290 | $40,330 | $58,830 | $88,420 |
| Oklahoma | 1,430 | $28,920 | $58,540 | $77,450 |
| Kansas | 860 | $36,540 | $58,390 | $89,990 |
| Florida | 19,670 | $31,920 | $58,240 | $92,300 |
| Montana | 720 | $38,200 | $57,470 | $80,180 |
| Maine | 1,250 | $48,430 | $57,010 | $81,120 |
| Texas | 13,270 | $31,380 | $56,080 | $92,290 |
| Mississippi | 840 | $30,900 | $54,850 | $83,850 |
| Ohio | 4,000 | $38,370 | $53,990 | $89,960 |
| Alaska | 680 | $39,170 | $52,190 | $91,520 |
| Indiana | 1,940 | $30,930 | $52,190 | $82,430 |
| Idaho | 550 | $33,590 | $52,000 | $83,240 |
| South Dakota | 300 | $37,450 | $48,470 | $57,820 |
| Kentucky | 1,790 | $31,550 | $48,070 | $88,410 |
| Iowa | 1,640 | $36,770 | $47,990 | $74,730 |
| Arkansas | 880 | $33,500 | $46,170 | $87,730 |
| Louisiana | 1,990 | $32,320 | $45,570 | $86,750 |
| Puerto Rico | 770 | $23,730 | $30,800 | $68,580 |
Other food preparation and serving related occupations
- Fast Food and Counter Workers
- Waiters and Waitresses
- Cooks, Restaurant
- First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers
- Food Preparation Workers
- Bartenders
- Cooks, Fast Food
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers
Questions this page answers
What is the national median wage for Chefs and Head Cooks?
In the May 2025 OEWS estimates, the national median annual wage for Chefs and Head Cooks is $62,470. Employment is 200,040.
How does Chefs and Head Cooks pay compare with all occupations?
The national median for Chefs and Head Cooks is 22.5% higher than the all-occupations median of $50,980.
Which metro has the highest published median for Chefs and Head Cooks?
Among metros with a published annual median in the May 2025 tables, Terre Haute, IN is highest on this page's list at $85,920.