Chef Salary
Average Chef Salary
$46,824yearly
How much does a Chef make?
Chefs make $46,824 per year on average, or $22.51 per hour, in the United States. Chefs on the lower end of that spectrum, the bottom 10% to be exact, make roughly $31,000 a year, while the top 10% makes $68,000.
Location impacts how much a chef can expect to make. Chefs make the most in Hawaii, New Jersey, Washington, Massachusetts, and California.
Highest Paying States For Chefs
- State View
- County View
Chef average salary by State
| Rank | State | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $51,293 | $24.66 | 214 |
| 2 | Texas | $52,587 | $25.28 | 1,776 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $66,145 | $31.80 | 402 |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | $51,526 | $24.77 | 723 |
| 5 | Georgia | $48,701 | $23.41 | 891 |
| 6 | Hawaii | $71,544 | $34.40 | 34 |
| 7 | Alaska | $50,304 | $24.18 | 85 |
| 8 | Washington | $57,071 | $27.44 | 338 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $55,548 | $26.71 | 449 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $51,863 | $24.93 | 66 |
| 11 | Michigan | $47,395 | $22.79 | 536 |
| 12 | Oklahoma | $45,499 | $21.87 | 288 |
| 13 | California | $54,271 | $26.09 | 1,812 |
| 14 | Arizona | $47,580 | $22.88 | 497 |
| 15 | Illinois | $47,560 | $22.87 | 865 |
| 16 | Alabama | $46,431 | $22.32 | 276 |
| 17 | New Mexico | $46,088 | $22.16 | 135 |
| 18 | Colorado | $45,910 | $22.07 | 549 |
| 19 | Delaware | $50,789 | $24.42 | 55 |
| 20 | Vermont | $49,964 | $24.02 | 31 |
| 21 | District of Columbia | $51,291 | $24.66 | 98 |
| 22 | Florida | $43,207 | $20.77 | 1,668 |
| 23 | Missouri | $45,055 | $21.66 | 388 |
| 24 | Montana | $44,671 | $21.48 | 77 |
| 25 | North Dakota | $46,969 | $22.58 | 39 |
| 26 | West Virginia | $43,797 | $21.06 | 96 |
| 27 | Indiana | $41,629 | $20.01 | 581 |
| 28 | Maine | $47,627 | $22.90 | 60 |
| 29 | Connecticut | $48,020 | $23.09 | 183 |
| 30 | New Hampshire | $45,875 | $22.06 | 96 |
| 31 | Maryland | $48,353 | $23.25 | 338 |
| 32 | Utah | $40,357 | $19.40 | 277 |
| 33 | New York | $44,972 | $21.62 | 809 |
| 34 | Oregon | $46,135 | $22.18 | 206 |
| 35 | Arkansas | $40,241 | $19.35 | 179 |
| 36 | North Carolina | $40,324 | $19.39 | 791 |
| 37 | Louisiana | $38,504 | $18.51 | 287 |
| 38 | Mississippi | $37,252 | $17.91 | 198 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $35,248 | $16.95 | 595 |
| 40 | Ohio | $36,109 | $17.36 | 842 |
| 41 | Virginia | $39,851 | $19.16 | 608 |
| 42 | Kansas | $40,345 | $19.40 | 126 |
| 43 | Minnesota | $39,324 | $18.91 | 390 |
| 44 | Kentucky | $34,789 | $16.73 | 295 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $33,257 | $15.99 | 401 |
| 46 | Idaho | $35,857 | $17.24 | 96 |
| 47 | Wyoming | $27,439 | $13.19 | 41 |
| 48 | Nebraska | $34,540 | $16.61 | 118 |
| 49 | Wisconsin | $34,164 | $16.43 | 277 |
| 50 | Iowa | $33,821 | $16.26 | 174 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $34,538 | $16.60 | 36 |
Highest Paying Cities For Chefs
| Rank | City | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $71,516 | $34.38 | 1 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $57,286 | $27.54 | 4 |
| 3 | Redwood City, CA | $55,617 | $26.74 | |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $55,491 | $26.68 | 7 |
| 5 | Austin, TX | $53,145 | $25.55 | 4 |
| 6 | Philadelphia, PA | $52,140 | $25.07 | |
| 7 | Washington, DC | $51,303 | $24.66 | 5 |
| 8 | Las Vegas, NV | $51,263 | $24.65 | 9 |
| 9 | Columbus, GA | $49,011 | $23.56 | |
| 10 | Portland, ME | $48,340 | $23.24 | |
| 11 | Phoenix, AZ | $47,666 | $22.92 | 1 |
| 12 | Chicago, IL | $47,597 | $22.88 | 5 |
| 13 | Denver, CO | $45,825 | $22.03 | 2 |
| 14 | Portland, OR | $45,821 | $22.03 | |
| 15 | Saint Louis, MO | $45,144 | $21.70 | 4 |
Here Are The Five Most In Demand Cities Right Now:
Chef Salary by Years of Experience
Chefs Salary Details
What is a Chef's Salary?
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $68,000 | $5,667 | $33 |
| 75th Percentile | $57,000 | $4,750 | $27 |
| Average | $46,824 | $3,902 | $23 |
| 25th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
| 10th Percentile | $31,000 | $2,583 | $15 |
Highest Paying Types of Chefs
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pastry Cook | $34,858 | $2,905 | $16.76 | 136,754 |
| Line Cook | $32,895 | $2,741 | $15.81 | 168,993 |
| Head Cook | $44,412 | $3,701 | $21.35 | 156,227 |
| Line Cook, Prep Cook | $32,982 | $2,748 | $15.86 | 164,756 |
| Culinary Internship | $31,368 | $2,614 | $15.08 | 93,844 |
| Chef De Cuisine | $51,926 | $4,327 | $24.96 | 18,300 |
Here are the five companies hiring the most now:
Which Companies Pay Chefs The Most?
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bridgewater Associates | $74,500 | $35.82 | |
| 2 | Ncar - The National Center For Atmospheric Research | $70,723 | $34.00 | |
| 3 | Life Care Centers of America | $69,164 | $33.25 | |
| 4 | Opelousas General Health System | $68,165 | $32.77 | |
| 5 | St. Petersburg Yacht Club | $68,053 | $32.72 | |
| 6 | NHC | $67,105 | $32.26 | 1 |
| 7 | American Bar Association | $64,413 | $30.97 | |
| 8 | Club | $61,985 | $29.80 | |
| 9 | Encompass Health | $61,391 | $29.51 | 2 |
| 10 | Ciena Healthcare | $59,093 | $28.41 | |
| 11 | HealthTrust | $58,575 | $28.16 | 13 |
| 12 | The Culinary Institute of America | $58,355 | $28.06 | 1 |
| 13 | LifePoint Health | $57,780 | $27.78 | 3 |
| 14 | Aspen Snowmass | $57,555 | $27.67 | 5 |
| 15 | Goodwin Recruiting | $57,372 | $27.58 | 574 |
| 16 | Romano's Macaroni Grill | $56,948 | $27.38 | |
| 17 | McCalls Catering & Events | $56,888 | $27.35 | |
| 18 | Bright Star Schools | $56,631 | $27.23 | |
| 19 | Monarch Casino & Resort | $56,412 | $27.12 | 5 |
| 20 | Lake Mohawk Golf Club | $56,336 | $27.08 |
How Much Do Chefs Make In Different Industries?
Here are some examples of how much a chef salaries can based on different industries:
The health care industry pays chefs an average salary of $46,349
The hospitality industry pay $45,408
The lowest paying industry for chefs is the retail industry. Chefs in this industry earn an average salary of $40,116
Highest Paying Industries For Chefs
| Rank | Industry | Average Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Health Care | $46,349 | $22.28 |
| 2 | Hospitality | $45,408 | $21.83 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $44,680 | $21.48 |
| 4 | Retail | $40,116 | $19.29 |
High Paying Chef Jobs
Chef Pay Trends
Average Chef Salary Over Time
Compare salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Chef Salary By Year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $46,800 | $22.51 | +3.5% |
| 2022 | $45,200 | $21.73 | +6.0% |
| 2021 | $42,500 | $20.44 | +5.2% |
| 2020 | $40,300 | $19.38 | +6.0% |
| 2019 | $37,900 | $18.21 | +3.9% |
Recently Added Chef Salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date Added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enlivant | Chef at Allen Place | | Atlantic, IA | 11/28/2022 | $33,392 |
| The Corner Cafe | Chef | Marshfield, MA | 11/27/2022 | $52,175 |
| Dig Inn (Harvard Square) | Chef In Training | Cambridge, MA | 11/26/2022 | $35,479 |
| Steamboat Ski Resort | Full Service Restaurant Chef-Winter Seasonal | Denver, CO | 11/26/2022 | $55,000 |
| Delaware North | Chef Opportunities, Lambeau Field | Green Bay, WI | 11/25/2022 | $50,000 |
| Careerbuilder-Us | Chef Tournant | Las Vegas, NV | 11/25/2022 | $50,000 |
| Dig Inn-Boylston | Chef In Training (Boylston ST | Boston, MA | 11/25/2022 | $35,479 |
| Covenant Living of Golden Valley | Chef | Golden Valley, MN | 11/24/2022 | $40,884 |
| Enlivant | Chef at Park Creek Place | and | North Wales, PA | 11/23/2022 | $37,566 |
| Enlivant | Chef at Miller Place | Celina, OH | 11/23/2022 | $37,566 |
Chef Salaries FAQs
What State Pays Chefs The Most?
Hawaii pays Chefs the most in the United States, with an average salary of $71,544 per year, or $34.40 per hour.
How Do I Know If I'm Being Paid Fairly As A Chef?
You know if you are being paid fairly as a Chef if your pay is close to the average pay for the state you live in. For example, if you live in New Jersey you should be paid close to $66,145 per year.
What Is A Good Starting Salary For A Chef?
A good starting salary for a chef is $32,000 in the United States. That puts you in the 10th percentile of annual income for a chef in the U.S., which is about what you would expect if you were new to the field. The average salary for chefs is $47,396, but that normally requires some level of experience to achieve. Furthermore, a good starting salary for a chef can vary by state.
Do Chefs Make Good Money?
Yes, chefs make good money. The average annual salary of a chef in the United States is $52,160. This role's average is at an all-time high and surpasses the average national wage.
Chefs are also paid differently according to state. Here are some of the states that have the highest annual salary averages for chefs...
How Much Do Hibachi Chefs Make?
Hibachi chefs make an average annual salary of around $50,000 in the United States. On the low end, a hibachi chef may only earn up to $30K to $35K per year. These low-end earners have hourly wages around the $20 range.
How Much Do Professional Chefs Make?
Professional chefs make an annual salary of $52,160 in the United States. This role's average is at an all-time high and surpasses the average national wage.
Chefs are also paid differently according to state. Here are some of the states that have the highest annual salary averages for chefs:
Hawaii - $75,510
New Jersey - $70,260
Nevada - $56,290
Missouri - $55,300
West Virginia - $54,500
Chef salaries also depend on the job title the chef holds. Executive and head chefs tend to make the most money. The average salary of an executive chef in the United States is $74,331 per year.
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