What is the typical salary range for a Chefs and Head Cooks?

Pay typically falls between $50,000 and $81,500 per year depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.

Chefs and Head Cooks Salary: $69,000 Average

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Average base salary

$69,000 / year

≈ $5,750 per month · $33.17 per hour

Location

25th percentile
$50,000Average
$69,00075th percentile
$81,500

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.

About this role

Chefs and Head Cooks is a professional role in the Food Preparation and Serving job family, focused on Chefs and Head Cooks work. Pay for this title reflects both its level and its scope; see our Title Level and Organization Responsibility guides for how WePayFairly defines them.

How this role compares

Chefs and Head Cooks pays 68% above the average across 17 roles in the Food Preparation and Serving job family (family average $41,000).

Similar-paying roles in Food Preparation and Serving

Cooks, Private Household$55,500

First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$48,000

Bartender$42,000

Waiters and Waitresses$41,500

Cooks, All Other$40,500

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria$40,000

Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other$38,000

Cooks, Short Order$37,500

Food Preparation Worker$36,500

Dishwasher$35,500

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Chefs and Head Cooks make?

The average base salary for a Chefs and Head Cooks in the United States is $69,000 per year, or about $33.17 per hour.

What is the typical salary range?

Pay typically falls between $50,000 and $81,500 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.

How does this compare with other Food Preparation and Serving roles?

The Food Preparation and Serving job family averages $41,000 across 17 roles tracked by WePayFairly.

Need a defensible market price for this role?
WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.

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