Chefs and Head Cooks Salary
Salary data across 60 metro areas in the US & CanadaUSD & CAD
Search Jobs on IndeedAvg Median Salary
$58,500
Highest Paying City
San Francisco
$82,000
Cities Tracked
60
What Do Chefs and Head Cooks Do?
Chefs and Head Cooks prepare, cook, and serve food in restaurants, hotels, cafeterias, and other dining establishments. They ensure that meals are prepared safely and presented appealingly to satisfy customers.
Most work in restaurant kitchens, cafeterias, or food service establishments. Hours are often long and irregular, including evenings, weekends, and holidays. Kitchens can be hot, fast-paced, and physically demanding.
Key Skills for Chefs and Head Cooks
Education Requirements
High school diploma or equivalent; culinary degree for advanced roles
Many positions require little formal education beyond a high school diploma. Chefs and head cooks often benefit from culinary school training or apprenticeships. On-the-job training is common across all levels.
Career Outlook
Employment is expected to grow about as fast as average, driven by continued demand for dining out and food delivery services.
How to Increase Your Chefs and Head Cooks Salary
- 1.Develop expertise in a culinary specialty (pastry, international cuisine, etc.)
- 2.Build management skills to advance to head chef or restaurant manager
- 3.Stay current with food trends and dietary preferences
- 4.Consider catering or private chef work for higher earning potential
- 5.Build a reputation through competitions, social media, or food publications
Chefs and Head Cooks Salary by City
| City | Median | Average | Range (10th-90th) | Currency | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $82,000 | $91,000 | $49,000 - $107,000 | USD | Apply |
| San Jose, CA | $81,000 | $84,000 | $49,000 - $105,000 | USD | Apply |
| New York, NY | $74,000 | $77,000 | $44,000 - $96,000 | USD | Apply |
| Seattle, WA | $74,000 | $81,000 | $44,000 - $96,000 | USD | Apply |
| Boston, MA | $74,000 | $81,000 | $44,000 - $96,000 | USD | Apply |
| Washington DC, DC | $73,000 | $82,000 | $44,000 - $95,000 | USD | Apply |
| Los Angeles, CA | $69,000 | $72,000 | $45,000 - $87,000 | USD | Apply |
| Honolulu, HI | $68,000 | $73,000 | $44,000 - $86,000 | USD | Apply |
| Portland, OR | $67,000 | $74,000 | $44,000 - $85,000 | USD | Apply |
| San Diego, CA | $66,000 | $73,000 | $43,000 - $83,000 | USD | Apply |
| Anchorage, AK | $66,000 | $70,000 | $43,000 - $83,000 | USD | Apply |
| Denver, CO | $65,000 | $71,000 | $42,000 - $82,000 | USD | Apply |
| Philadelphia, PA | $64,000 | $71,000 | $42,000 - $81,000 | USD | Apply |
| Baltimore, MD | $64,000 | $67,000 | $42,000 - $81,000 | USD | Apply |
| Sacramento, CA | $64,000 | $71,000 | $42,000 - $81,000 | USD | Apply |
| Minneapolis, MN | $63,000 | $69,000 | $41,000 - $80,000 | USD | Apply |
| Austin, TX | $63,000 | $68,000 | $41,000 - $80,000 | USD | Apply |
| Hartford, CT | $62,000 | $66,000 | $40,000 - $78,000 | USD | Apply |
| Dallas, TX | $61,000 | $65,000 | $40,000 - $77,000 | USD | Apply |
| Raleigh, NC | $61,000 | $63,000 | $40,000 - $77,000 | USD | Apply |
| Chicago, IL | $60,000 | $63,000 | $39,000 - $76,000 | USD | Apply |
| Houston, TX | $59,000 | $63,000 | $38,000 - $74,000 | USD | Apply |
| Atlanta, GA | $58,000 | $64,000 | $38,000 - $73,000 | USD | Apply |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $58,000 | $64,000 | $38,000 - $73,000 | USD | Apply |
| Columbus, OH | $58,000 | $63,000 | $38,000 - $73,000 | USD | Apply |
| Kansas City, MO | $58,000 | $65,000 | $38,000 - $73,000 | USD | Apply |
| Phoenix, AZ | $57,000 | $59,000 | $37,000 - $72,000 | USD | Apply |
| Detroit, MI | $56,000 | $59,000 | $36,000 - $71,000 | USD | Apply |
| Nashville, TN | $56,000 | $59,000 | $36,000 - $71,000 | USD | Apply |
| Charlotte, NC | $56,000 | $59,000 | $36,000 - $71,000 | USD | Apply |
| Las Vegas, NV | $56,000 | $61,000 | $36,000 - $71,000 | USD | Apply |
| Indianapolis, IN | $56,000 | $60,000 | $36,000 - $71,000 | USD | Apply |
| St. Louis, MO | $56,000 | $61,000 | $36,000 - $71,000 | USD | Apply |
| Cincinnati, OH | $56,000 | $58,000 | $36,000 - $71,000 | USD | Apply |
| Milwaukee, WI | $56,000 | $58,000 | $36,000 - $71,000 | USD | Apply |
| Richmond, VA | $56,000 | $62,000 | $36,000 - $71,000 | USD | Apply |
| Miami, FL | $55,000 | $59,000 | $36,000 - $69,000 | USD | Apply |
| San Antonio, TX | $55,000 | $60,000 | $36,000 - $69,000 | USD | Apply |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $55,000 | $56,000 | $36,000 - $69,000 | USD | Apply |
| Louisville, KY | $55,000 | $59,000 | $36,000 - $69,000 | USD | Apply |
| Toronto, ON | $55,000 | $60,000 | $36,000 - $69,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Vancouver, BC | $55,000 | $58,000 | $36,000 - $69,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Tampa, FL | $54,000 | $57,000 | $35,000 - $68,000 | USD | Apply |
| Jacksonville, FL | $54,000 | $57,000 | $35,000 - $68,000 | USD | Apply |
| New Orleans, LA | $54,000 | $59,000 | $35,000 - $68,000 | USD | Apply |
| Birmingham, AL | $54,000 | $59,000 | $35,000 - $68,000 | USD | Apply |
| Tucson, AZ | $54,000 | $59,000 | $35,000 - $68,000 | USD | Apply |
| Orlando, FL | $53,000 | $56,000 | $34,000 - $67,000 | USD | Apply |
| Cleveland, OH | $53,000 | $59,000 | $34,000 - $67,000 | USD | Apply |
| Memphis, TN | $53,000 | $58,000 | $34,000 - $67,000 | USD | Apply |
| Buffalo, NY | $53,000 | $59,000 | $34,000 - $67,000 | USD | Apply |
| Ottawa, ON | $52,000 | $58,000 | $34,000 - $66,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $51,000 | $52,000 | $33,000 - $64,000 | USD | Apply |
| Calgary, AB | $51,000 | $52,000 | $33,000 - $64,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Edmonton, AB | $49,000 | $51,000 | $32,000 - $62,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Hamilton, ON | $47,000 | $52,000 | $31,000 - $59,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Montreal, QC | $46,000 | $49,000 | $30,000 - $58,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Winnipeg, MB | $44,000 | $48,000 | $31,000 - $54,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Halifax, NS | $43,000 | $46,000 | $30,000 - $53,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Quebec City, QC | $42,000 | $44,000 | $29,000 - $51,000 | CAD | Apply |