Chef demographics and statistics in the US
Chef demographics research summary. Zippia estimates chef demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our chef estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about chefs after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 147,434 chefs currently employed in the United States.
- 25.2% of all chefs are women, while 74.8% are men.
- The average chef age is 42 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of chefs is White (55.0%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (17.1%), Asian (11.4%) and Black or African American (10.3%).
- Chefs are most in-demand in New York, NY.
- Urban Honolulu, HI pays an annual average wage of $71,516, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women chefs earned 91% of what men earned.
- Nevada is the best state for chefs to live.
- Chefs are 71% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Chef demographics by:
Chef gender statistics
25.2% of chefs are women and 74.8% of chefs are men.
- Male, 74.8%
- Female, 25.2%
Chef gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 74.8% |
| Female | 25.2% |
Chef gender pay gap
Women earn 91¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$48,066
Female income
$43,954
Chef gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in chef positions over time. Currently, 25.2% of chefs are female.
Chef gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 77.85% | 22.15% |
| 2011 | 78.44% | 21.56% |
| 2012 | 78.58% | 21.42% |
| 2013 | 78.75% | 21.25% |
| 2014 | 76.68% | 23.32% |
| 2015 | 78.56% | 21.44% |
| 2016 | 76.91% | 23.09% |
| 2017 | 77.35% | 22.65% |
| 2018 | 76.09% | 23.91% |
| 2019 | 77.34% | 22.66% |
| 2020 | 75.39% | 24.61% |
| 2021 | 74.81% | 25.19% |
Chef related jobs gender ratio
We compared chefs with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, corporate executive chef and chef de cuisine have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Lunchroom Monitor | 5% | 95% |
| Waiter/Waitress, Captain | 13% | 87% |
| Lunchroom Supervisor | 13% | 87% |
| Chef | 75% | 25% |
| Executive Chef | 88% | 12% |
| Chef De Cuisine | 90% | 10% |
| Corporate Executive Chef | 91% | 9% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Chef demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among chefs is White, which makes up 55.0% of all chefs. Comparatively, 17.1% of chefs are Hispanic or Latino and 11.4% of chefs are Asian.
- White, 55.0%
- Hispanic or Latino, 17.1%
- Asian, 11.4%
- Black or African American, 10.3%
- Unknown, 5.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
Chef race
| Chef race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 55.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 17.1% |
| Asian | 11.4% |
| Black or African American | 10.3% |
| Unknown | 5.4% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.8% |
Chef race and ethnicity over time
See how chef racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Chef race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 61.19% | 11.82% | 8.65% | 15.27% |
| 2011 | 61.34% | 12.39% | 8.03% | 14.96% |
| 2012 | 61.35% | 11.22% | 8.08% | 15.66% |
| 2013 | 62.49% | 11.45% | 7.42% | 15.05% |
| 2014 | 61.13% | 11.05% | 8.50% | 15.71% |
| 2015 | 59.59% | 10.69% | 8.56% | 17.47% |
| 2016 | 61.10% | 10.69% | 8.18% | 16.05% |
| 2017 | 58.03% | 10.26% | 10.09% | 17.89% |
| 2018 | 59.64% | 10.56% | 7.89% | 18.50% |
| 2019 | 59.43% | 10.39% | 9.10% | 17.75% |
| 2020 | 56.26% | 9.66% | 9.45% | 18.48% |
| 2021 | 54.98% | 10.29% | 11.41% | 17.15% |
Chef wage gap by race
According to our data, white chefs have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Asian chefs have the lowest average salary at $46,548.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $47,726 |
| White | $49,560 |
| Black or African American | $48,570 |
| Asian | $46,548 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $47,977 |
Average chef age
See how the average age of chefs varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Chef age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 43 | 46.5 |
| Unknown | 38 | 36.5 |
| Asian | 44 | 49 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 40 | 43 |
| White | 40 | 41 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 40 |
Chef age breakdown
The average age of chefs is 40+ years years old, representing 56% of the chef population.
Chef age breakdown
| Chef Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 56% |
| 30-40 years | 28% |
| 20-30 years | 15% |
Chef educational attainment
The most common degree for chefs is associate degree, with 38% of chefs earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 27% and bachelor's degree degree at 21%.
- Associate, 38%
- Bachelor's, 27%
- High School Diploma, 21%
- Diploma, 8%
- Other Degrees, 6%
Chefs by degree level
| Chef degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Associate | 38% |
| Bachelor's | 27% |
| High School Diploma | 21% |
| Diploma | 8% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
Chef jobs you might like
Chef wage gap by degree level
According to the data, chefs with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $51,438 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, chefs earn a median annual income of $50,718 compared to $46,423 for chefs with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $46,423 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $50,718 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $51,438 |
Chef employment statistics
Most chefs work for a private in the hospitality industry.
Company size where chefs work
Below, you can see the size of companies where chefs work.
Chef jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 7% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 10% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 17% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 27% |
| > 10,000 employees | 30% |
Chef jobs by company type
Employees with the chef job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most chefs prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Chef jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 5% |
| Public | 22% |
| Private | 71% |
| Government | 2% |
Chef jobs by industry
The most common industries for chefs are hospitality, retail and manufacturing.
Chef industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Hospitality | 52% |
| Retail | 9% |
| Manufacturing | 6% |
| Health Care | 5% |
| Fortune 500 | 5% |
| Education | 4% |
| Professional | 4% |
| Media | 3% |
| Government | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Internet | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
Chef turnover and employment statistics
Chef unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for chefs between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Chef unemployment rate by year
| Year | Chef unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 9.68% |
| 2011 | 10.91% |
| 2012 | 6.88% |
| 2013 | 7.77% |
| 2014 | 5.16% |
| 2015 | 5.14% |
| 2016 | 4.13% |
| 2017 | 3.91% |
| 2018 | 3.66% |
| 2019 | 3.42% |
| 2020 | 10.00% |
| 2021 | 11.33% |
Average chef tenure
The average chef stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 53,484 chefs resumes in Zippia's database.
Chef tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 28% |
| 1-2 years | 36% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 13% |
| 8-10 years | 4% |
| 11+ years | 6% |
Chef LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of chefs that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Catering Assistant | 6.78% | 10,042 |
| Head Waitress | 7.02% | 72,324 |
| Gallery Host | 7.29% | 9,545 |
| Counter Attendant | 7.36% | 53,208 |
| Bartender/Certified Trainer | 7.68% | 80,818 |
| Tea Room Manager | 8.43% | 62,358 |
| Chef | 8.58% | - |
Similar chef jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Catering Assistant | 6.78% | 10,042 |
| Head Waitress | 7.02% | 72,324 |
| Gallery Host | 7.29% | 9,545 |
| Counter Attendant | 7.36% | 53,208 |
| Bartender/Certified Trainer | 7.68% | 80,818 |
| Tea Room Manager | 8.43% | 62,358 |
Foreign languages spoken by chefs
The most common foreign language among chefs is Spanish at 48.5%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 14.9% and Italian is the third-most popular at 10.4%.
- Spanish, 48.5%
- French, 14.9%
- Italian, 10.4%
- German, 3.9%
- Japanese, 3.2%
- Other, 19.1%
Chef languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 48.5% |
| French | 14.9% |
| Italian | 10.4% |
| German | 3.9% |
| Japanese | 3.2% |
| Other | 19.1% |
