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Chef instructor salary
Average chef instructor salary
$57,650
Average Chef Instructor Salary
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Chef Instructor is approximately $57,650 annually, translating to about $28 per hour. This salary can vary based on factors such as years of experience, educational background, and location.
How Much Does a Chef Instructor Make?
Entry-level positions may start around $40,000, while experienced instructors can earn upwards of $75,000, especially in prestigious culinary schools or urban areas where demand is higher.
Where Can a Chef Instructor Earn More?
States like California, New York, and Texas offer some of the highest salaries for Chef Instructors, reflecting the cost of living and demand for culinary education.
Chef Instructor Salaries by Experience Level
Typically, those with more years in the culinary field or who hold advanced degrees will command higher salaries. For instance, instructors with over ten years of experience can expect to earn significantly more than those just starting.
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Where can a Chef Instructor earn more?
Chef instructor salaries by experience level
Chef instructor salary estimates from across the web
Average chef instructor salary by state
The highest-paying states for chef instructors are New Jersey, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. The lowest average chef instructor salary states are Arkansas, Tennessee, and Kansas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for chef instructors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $85,788 | $41.24 |
| 2 | Nevada | $69,047 | $33.20 |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $81,637 | $39.25 |
| 4 | Michigan | $68,936 | $33.14 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $76,715 | $36.88 |
| 6 | Oregon | $65,989 | $31.73 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $79,254 | $38.10 |
| 8 | District of Columbia | $76,324 | $36.69 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $73,974 | $35.56 |
| 10 | Florida | $62,558 | $30.08 |
| 11 | Texas | $63,372 | $30.47 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $70,355 | $33.82 |
| 13 | Wyoming | $57,349 | $27.57 |
| 14 | Ohio | $65,436 | $31.46 |
| 15 | Delaware | $61,884 | $29.75 |
| 16 | Maine | $66,321 | $31.89 |
| 17 | Alaska | $56,779 | $27.30 |
| 18 | Mississippi | $57,249 | $27.52 |
| 19 | Georgia | $56,313 | $27.07 |
| 20 | Virginia | $58,545 | $28.15 |
| 21 | North Carolina | $55,996 | $26.92 |
| 22 | Illinois | $62,513 | $30.05 |
| 23 | California | $60,220 | $28.95 |
| 24 | Hawaii | $64,900 | $31.20 |
| 25 | Minnesota | $58,633 | $28.19 |
| 26 | New York | $60,120 | $28.90 |
| 27 | Maryland | $61,263 | $29.45 |
| 28 | Colorado | $55,997 | $26.92 |
| 29 | Washington | $61,131 | $29.39 |
| 30 | West Virginia | $54,399 | $26.15 |
| 31 | Wisconsin | $55,184 | $26.53 |
| 32 | South Carolina | $51,032 | $24.53 |
| 33 | Alabama | $54,145 | $26.03 |
| 34 | Arizona | $52,391 | $25.19 |
| 35 | North Dakota | $51,803 | $24.91 |
| 36 | Indiana | $55,482 | $26.67 |
| 37 | Vermont | $53,204 | $25.58 |
| 38 | Kentucky | $52,009 | $25.00 |
| 39 | Montana | $45,925 | $22.08 |
| 40 | South Dakota | $50,644 | $24.35 |
| 41 | Oklahoma | $50,510 | $24.28 |
| 42 | New Mexico | $51,139 | $24.59 |
| 43 | Iowa | $48,111 | $23.13 |
| 44 | Missouri | $51,936 | $24.97 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $44,596 | $21.44 |
| 46 | Utah | $40,350 | $19.40 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $42,468 | $20.42 |
| 48 | Nebraska | $49,103 | $23.61 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $45,494 | $21.87 |
| 50 | Kansas | $42,612 | $20.49 |
| 51 | Idaho | $36,454 | $17.53 |
Highest paying cities for chef instructors
The highest-paying cities for chef instructors are Boston, MA, Ann Arbor, MI, and Westlake, OH.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston, MA | $79,302 | $38.13 |
| 2 | Ann Arbor, MI | $68,655 | $33.01 |
| 3 | Westlake, OH | $68,290 | $32.83 |
| 4 | San Antonio, TX | $65,392 | $31.44 |
| 5 | Miami, FL | $63,627 | $30.59 |
| 6 | Skokie, IL | $63,182 | $30.38 |
| 7 | Palo Alto, CA | $62,292 | $29.95 |
| 8 | Seattle, WA | $61,419 | $29.53 |
| 9 | North Bethesda, MD | $61,068 | $29.36 |
| 10 | New York, NY | $60,258 | $28.97 |
| 11 | Arlington, VA | $59,987 | $28.84 |
| 12 | Raleigh, NC | $57,842 | $27.81 |
| 13 | Centennial, CO | $55,998 | $26.92 |
| 14 | Carmel, IN | $55,260 | $26.57 |
| 15 | Madison, WI | $54,538 | $26.22 |
| 16 | Scottsdale, AZ | $52,332 | $25.16 |
| 17 | Oklahoma City, OK | $50,563 | $24.31 |
| 18 | Omaha, NE | $49,170 | $23.64 |
| 19 | Brentwood, TN | $44,607 | $21.45 |
| 20 | Murray, UT | $40,235 | $19.34 |
Chef instructor salary details
A chef instructor's salary ranges from $36,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $90,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a chef instructor's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $90,000 | $7,500 | $43 |
| 75th Percentile | $73,000 | $6,083 | $35 |
| Average | $57,650 | $4,804 | $28 |
| 25th Percentile | $45,000 | $3,750 | $22 |
| 10th Percentile | $36,000 | $3,000 | $17 |
Highest paying chef instructor jobs
The highest paying types of chef instructors are executive chef, chef manager, and instructor.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head Cook | $44,412 | $3,701 | $21.35 | 156,227 |
| Banquet Chef | $48,026 | $4,002 | $23.09 | 23,474 |
| Pastry Chef | $44,879 | $3,740 | $21.58 | 18,844 |
| Pastry Cook | $34,858 | $2,905 | $16.76 | 136,754 |
| Sushi Chef | $42,969 | $3,581 | $20.66 | 17,846 |
| Sous Chef | $48,716 | $4,060 | $23.42 | 22,393 |
Which companies pay chef instructors the most?
Chef instructor salaries at The Culinary Institute of America and Benchmark Group are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average chef instructor salary at companies like International Culinary Center and Common Threads are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Culinary Institute of America | $65,519 | $31.50 |
| 2 | Benchmark Group | $65,098 | $31.30 |
| 3 | International Culinary Center | $54,242 | $26.08 |
| 4 | Common Threads | $53,790 | $25.86 |
| 5 | Pine Street Inn | $52,740 | $25.36 |
| 6 | Stanley M. Isaacs Neighborhood Center | $51,885 | $24.94 |
| 7 | ZWILLING J.A. Henckels | $48,441 | $23.29 |
| 8 | Sur La Table | $37,643 | $18.10 |
| 9 | Williams Sonoma | $34,342 | $16.51 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Chef Instructor salary by industry
The average chef instructor salary varies across industries:
- The average chef instructor salary in the education industry is $57,530, the highest of any industry.
- The average chef instructor salary in the finance industry is $53,812.
- Chef instructors in the retail industry earn an average salary of $39,538, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for chef instructors
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Education | $57,530 | $27.66 |
| 2 | Hospitality | $53,812 | $25.87 |
| 3 | Health Care | $39,757 | $19.11 |
| 4 | Retail | $39,538 | $19.01 |
High paying chef instructor jobs
Chef instructor salary trends
The average chef instructor salary has risen by $11,912 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average chef instructor earned $45,738 annually, but today, they earn $57,650 a year. That works out to a 24% change in pay for chef instructors over the last decade.
Compare chef instructor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average chef instructor salary over time
Compare chef instructor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Chef instructor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $57,600 | $27.72 | +3.5% |
| 2024 | $55,700 | $26.76 | +6.0% |
| 2023 | $52,300 | $25.16 | +5.2% |
| 2022 | $49,600 | $23.86 | +6.0% |
| 2021 | $46,600 | $22.42 | +3.9% |
Recently added chef instructor salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hospitality Training Centers | Lead Chef Instructor-Hospitality Employees Advancement and Training (Heat) | Miami, FL | 06/25/2025 | $65,000 |
| CSC Generation | Seasonal Chef Instructor, Savory (SUR LA Table) | Carlsbad, CA | 06/19/2025 | $35,479 |
| CSC Generation | Seasonal Chef Instructor, Savory (SUR LA Table) | Boulder, CO | 06/08/2025 | $36,418 |
| Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College Foundation, Inc. | Foodservice Chef Instructor (Looking To Fill Immediately) | Asheville, NC | 06/07/2025 | $54,262 |
| CSC Generation | Chef Instructor (SUR LA Table) | Glendale, AZ | 05/20/2025 | $40,154 |
| CSC Generation | Chef Instructor (SUR LA Table) | Roseville, CA | 05/20/2025 | $39,653 |
| CSC Generation | Chef Instructor (SUR LA Table) | Seattle, WA | 05/20/2025 | $45,914 |
| Goodwill Industries of Middle Ga | Adjunct Chef Instructor-Evening Schedule | Augusta, GA | 05/15/2025 | $52,175 |
| CSC Generation | Chef Instructor, Savory (SUR LA Table) | Boulder, CO | 05/11/2025 | $36,418 |
| CSC Generation | Seasonal Chef Instructor, Savory (SUR LA Table) | North Bethesda, MD | 04/29/2025 | $37,044 |
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