Chefs and Head Cooks Salary — US State Breakdown (2025)
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US Salary Overview
The national median wage for chefs and head cooks in the United States is $62,470 per year, based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025). Pay ranges from $37,900 at the 10th percentile to $98,560 at the 90th percentile. In the UK, the equivalent occupation (Chefs) has a median of £26,531 — figures are shown in local currency and are not converted. Heading for a US interview? Interview prep guides cover the standard question frameworks.
US Salary Percentiles
| Percentile | Annual (gross) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $37,900 | Entry level / lowest decile |
| 25th | $48,440 | Early career |
| 50th (median) | $62,470 | Typical pay |
| 75th | $78,750 | Experienced |
| 90th | $98,560 | Senior / highest decile |
Career Essentials
Median Salary by State
| State | Median salary | Mean salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | $79,930 | $84,860 | 740 |
| Hawaii | $77,360 | $80,720 | 1,000 |
| District of Columbia | $76,420 | $79,660 | 2,000 |
| Washington | $76,010 | $74,670 | 5,000 |
| North Dakota | $74,740 | $68,520 | 100 |
| New Jersey | $74,280 | $72,930 | 9,000 |
| Wyoming | $73,170 | $74,570 | 240 |
| South Carolina | $71,860 | $70,780 | 3,000 |
| New York | $70,670 | $74,840 | 17,000 |
| Tennessee | $69,810 | $70,710 | 4,000 |
| Massachusetts | $69,540 | $73,420 | 6,000 |
| Georgia | $66,230 | $70,450 | 4,000 |
| Vermont | $65,440 | $68,130 | 610 |
| Colorado | $65,400 | $70,320 | 4,000 |
| California | $64,500 | $69,130 | 32,000 |
| Missouri | $64,480 | $66,640 | 2,000 |
| Connecticut | $64,310 | $69,680 | 3,000 |
| Virgin Islands | $63,960 | $69,110 | 260 |
| Pennsylvania | $63,860 | $67,890 | 9,000 |
| Oregon | $63,600 | $67,510 | 3,000 |
| New Hampshire | $63,400 | $66,530 | 1,000 |
| Virginia | $63,270 | $65,320 | 4,000 |
| Minnesota | $62,600 | $66,910 | 2,000 |
| Alabama | $62,400 | $63,720 | 1,000 |
| Nevada | $62,380 | $67,380 | 4,000 |
| New Mexico | $62,250 | $67,080 | 770 |
| Maryland | $61,590 | $65,930 | 3,000 |
| Delaware | $61,440 | $66,590 | 590 |
| Wisconsin | $61,300 | $64,210 | 2,000 |
| North Carolina | $61,130 | $63,960 | 5,000 |
| West Virginia | $61,100 | $64,600 | 350 |
| Nebraska | $60,510 | $66,990 | 540 |
| Michigan | $60,070 | $62,460 | 5,000 |
| Arizona | $59,890 | $60,330 | 4,000 |
| Utah | $59,060 | $58,880 | 2,000 |
| Illinois | $58,830 | $62,810 | 8,000 |
| Oklahoma | $58,540 | $57,190 | 1,000 |
| Kansas | $58,390 | $60,930 | 860 |
| Florida | $58,240 | $61,720 | 20,000 |
| Montana | $57,470 | $61,580 | 720 |
| Maine | $57,010 | $61,540 | 1,000 |
| Texas | $56,080 | $59,350 | 13,000 |
| Mississippi | $54,850 | $56,910 | 840 |
| Ohio | $53,990 | $61,220 | 4,000 |
| Alaska | $52,190 | $59,430 | 680 |
| Indiana | $52,190 | $55,060 | 2,000 |
| Idaho | $52,000 | $57,390 | 550 |
| South Dakota | $48,470 | $47,900 | 300 |
| Kentucky | $48,070 | $55,770 | 2,000 |
| Iowa | $47,990 | $52,840 | 2,000 |
| Arkansas | $46,170 | $53,820 | 880 |
| Louisiana | $45,570 | $52,820 | 2,000 |
| Puerto Rico | $30,800 | $41,480 | 770 |
Recommended Gear & Prep
Many people pair this data with a salary negotiation guide before accepting an offer.
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Data: BLS OES, May 2025 · ONS ASHE Table 14/15, 2025 provisional · Page built 2026-07-18