Research Summary. After extensive research by the Zippia data science team, we identified these details of sous chef salary by state for the United States in 2026:
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Hawaii has the highest sous chef salary of $70,943
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Kansas has the lowest sous chef salary of $35,573
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The national average salary for sous chefs is $48,716
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The national hourly pay for sous chefs is $23.42
You can read more on the specific methodology.
Background
In 2026, the job market continues to evolve, and one of the most important aspects of a job for many remains salary. For aspiring and current sous chefs, understanding local salary expectations is crucial to career planning.
While various factors influence individual salaries, comprehensive data on average salaries for sous chefs by state is available, reflecting industry trends and regional economic conditions. This can provide a clear picture of what to expect in terms of compensation.
As of 2026, Hawaii remains the leading state for sous chef salaries, showcasing the premium placed on culinary talent in this region.
Here’s a quick snapshot of the top ten states for sous chef salaries:
Let’s take a look at how we got here and a full ranking of all the states.
Highest-Paid Sous Chefs By State
| Rank | State | Average Sous Chef Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $70,943 | $55,000 | $91,000 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $67,942 | $44,000 | $103,000 |
| 3 | California | $58,125 | $39,000 | $85,000 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $55,116 | $35,000 | $84,000 |
| 5 | Nevada | $54,340 | $37,000 | $79,000 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $53,924 | $34,000 | $83,000 |
| 7 | Washington | $53,403 | $37,000 | $76,000 |
| 8 | New York | $52,890 | $34,000 | $80,000 |
| 9 | Illinois | $51,258 | $36,000 | $72,000 |
| 10 | Maryland | $50,508 | $33,000 | $75,000 |
| 11 | Alaska | $50,364 | $41,000 | $61,000 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $48,695 | $32,000 | $73,000 |
| 13 | North Dakota | $48,678 | $35,000 | $67,000 |
| 14 | Virginia | $48,014 | $32,000 | $71,000 |
| 15 | Texas | $47,953 | $33,000 | $68,000 |
| 16 | Oregon | $47,260 | $32,000 | $68,000 |
| 17 | New Hampshire | $46,813 | $30,000 | $71,000 |
| 18 | Arizona | $45,879 | $31,000 | $66,000 |
| 19 | Georgia | $45,771 | $32,000 | $64,000 |
| 20 | Florida | $45,541 | $30,000 | $67,000 |
| 21 | Wyoming | $45,496 | $32,000 | $63,000 |
| 22 | North Carolina | $45,147 | $31,000 | $64,000 |
| 23 | Oklahoma | $44,939 | $32,000 | $62,000 |
| 24 | Colorado | $44,173 | $31,000 | $61,000 |
| 25 | Michigan | $43,845 | $30,000 | $63,000 |
| 26 | Maine | $43,764 | $28,000 | $66,000 |
| 27 | Delaware | $43,560 | $28,000 | $65,000 |
| 28 | Alabama | $43,319 | $30,000 | $60,000 |
| 29 | Connecticut | $42,688 | $27,000 | $65,000 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $42,127 | $30,000 | $59,000 |
| 31 | Indiana | $42,080 | $29,000 | $59,000 |
| 32 | Missouri | $41,980 | $30,000 | $58,000 |
| 33 | New Mexico | $41,502 | $29,000 | $59,000 |
| 34 | Arkansas | $41,234 | $29,000 | $57,000 |
| 35 | Montana | $40,252 | $28,000 | $55,000 |
| 36 | Tennessee | $40,242 | $28,000 | $56,000 |
| 37 | Ohio | $40,210 | $28,000 | $57,000 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $40,090 | $28,000 | $57,000 |
| 39 | South Dakota | $39,869 | $28,000 | $55,000 |
| 40 | Nebraska | $38,856 | $27,000 | $54,000 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $38,780 | $27,000 | $55,000 |
| 42 | West Virginia | $38,677 | $26,000 | $55,000 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $38,245 | $27,000 | $54,000 |
| 44 | Idaho | $38,212 | $26,000 | $54,000 |
| 45 | Iowa | $37,929 | $27,000 | $53,000 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $37,889 | $26,000 | $53,000 |
| 47 | Wisconsin | $37,869 | $26,000 | $53,000 |
| 48 | Utah | $37,204 | $26,000 | $53,000 |
| 49 | Vermont | $36,850 | $24,000 | $55,000 |
| 50 | Kansas | $35,573 | $25,000 | $49,000 |
Methodology: Sous Chef Salary By State
To better understand sous chef pay by state, Zippia has aggregated data across a multitude of channels including the BLS, FLC, and OPM. We then supplement that data with actual listed salaries from job posts. Finally, the data science team calculates a weighted average of these inputs to create an average pay for sous chefs by state.
We took the average annual salary data for sous chefs from these estimates and ranked every state based on this criteria, with the state offering the highest salary ranking as the top-paying location for sous chefs.
Sous Chef Salary By State FAQs
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What is the highest-paid state for sous chefs?
The highest-paid state for sous chefs is Hawaii with an average salary of $70,943 per year.
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What city pays sous chefs the most?
Atlantic City, NJ pays sous chefs the most with an average salary of $67,560 per year.
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What is the worst state for sous chefs?
The worst state for sous chefs is Kansas with an average salary of $35,573 per year.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
