Chief cook demographics and statistics in the US
Chief cook demographics research summary. Zippia estimates chief cook demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our chief cook estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about chief cooks after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 11,647 chief cooks currently employed in the United States.
- 21.4% of all chief cooks are women, while 78.6% are men.
- The average chief cook age is 38 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of chief cooks is White (54.5%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (19.1%), Black or African American (10.8%) and Asian (9.0%).
- In 2022, women earned 95% of what men earned.
- 6% of all chief cooks are LGBT.
- Chief cooks are 66% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Chief cook demographics by:
Chief cook gender statistics
21.4% of chief cooks are women and 78.6% of chief cooks are men.
- Male, 78.6%
- Female, 21.4%
Chief cook gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 78.6% |
| Female | 21.4% |
Chief cook gender pay gap
Women earn 95¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$40,536
Female income
$38,640
Chief cook gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in chief cook positions over time. Currently, 21.4% of chief cooks are female.
Chief cook gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 76.23% | 23.77% |
| 2011 | 76.58% | 23.42% |
| 2012 | 77.46% | 22.54% |
| 2013 | 77.53% | 22.47% |
| 2014 | 78.55% | 21.45% |
| 2015 | 77.93% | 22.07% |
| 2016 | 78.65% | 21.35% |
| 2017 | 78.68% | 21.32% |
| 2018 | 78.10% | 21.90% |
| 2019 | 77.88% | 22.12% |
| 2020 | 78.51% | 21.49% |
| 2021 | 78.55% | 21.45% |
Chief cook related jobs gender ratio
We compared chief cooks with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, saucier and vacuum kettle cook have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Diet Clerk | 13% | 87% |
| Dietary Clerk | 16% | 84% |
| School Cafeteria Cook | 20% | 80% |
| Chief Cook | 79% | 21% |
| Line Cook/Dishwasher | 84% | 16% |
| Vacuum Kettle Cook | 87% | 13% |
| Saucier | 91% | 9% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Chief cook demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among chief cooks is White, which makes up 54.5% of all chief cooks. Comparatively, 19.1% of chief cooks are Hispanic or Latino and 10.8% of chief cooks are Black or African American.
- White, 54.5%
- Hispanic or Latino, 19.1%
- Black or African American, 10.8%
- Asian, 9.0%
- Unknown, 5.2%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4%
Chief cook race
| Chief cook race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 54.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 19.1% |
| Black or African American | 10.8% |
| Asian | 9.0% |
| Unknown | 5.2% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.4% |
Chief cook race and ethnicity over time
See how chief cook racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Chief cook race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 58.85% | 12.44% | 7.92% | 17.39% |
| 2011 | 58.65% | 13.63% | 7.95% | 15.91% |
| 2012 | 58.32% | 13.16% | 7.75% | 16.86% |
| 2013 | 58.47% | 13.01% | 7.74% | 17.06% |
| 2014 | 58.05% | 12.88% | 8.02% | 17.02% |
| 2015 | 58.09% | 12.63% | 8.12% | 17.13% |
| 2016 | 57.77% | 12.28% | 8.04% | 17.59% |
| 2017 | 56.91% | 11.91% | 8.21% | 18.17% |
| 2018 | 58.02% | 11.89% | 8.09% | 17.66% |
| 2019 | 58.07% | 11.48% | 8.45% | 17.59% |
| 2020 | 56.05% | 10.83% | 8.71% | 17.79% |
| 2021 | 54.51% | 10.82% | 9.00% | 19.08% |
Chief cook wage gap by race
According to our data, asian chief cooks have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american chief cooks have the lowest average salary at $39,765.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $40,167 |
| White | $40,236 |
| Black or African American | $39,765 |
| Asian | $41,475 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $41,063 |
Average chief cook age
See how the average age of chief cooks varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Chief cook age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 35 | 45 |
| Unknown | 27 | 36 |
| Asian | 42 | 49.5 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 35 | 42 |
| White | 29 | 44 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 31.5 | 49 |
Chief cook age breakdown
The average age of chief cooks is 40+ years years old, representing 45% of the chief cook population.
Chief cook age breakdown
| Chief Cook Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 45% |
| 30-40 years | 22% |
| 20-30 years | 26% |
Chief cook educational attainment
The most common degree for chief cooks is high school diploma, with 31% of chief cooks earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 28% and bachelor's degree degree at 23%.
- High School Diploma, 31%
- Bachelor's, 28%
- Associate, 23%
- Diploma, 8%
- Other Degrees, 10%
Chief cooks by degree level
| Chief cook degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 31% |
| Bachelor's | 28% |
| Associate | 23% |
| Diploma | 8% |
| Other Degrees | 10% |
Chief cook jobs you might like
Chief cook wage gap by degree level
According to the data, chief cooks with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $41,968 annually. With a Associate degree, chief cooks earn a median annual income of $40,807 compared to $39,732 for chief cooks with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $39,732 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $41,968 |
| No Education | $39,177 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $40,807 |
Chief cook employment statistics
Most chief cooks work for a private in the hospitality industry.
Company size where chief cooks work
Below, you can see the size of companies where chief cooks work.
Chief cook jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 8% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 13% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 21% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 5% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 33% |
| > 10,000 employees | 21% |
Chief cook jobs by company type
Employees with the chief cook job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most chief cooks prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Chief cook jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 3% |
| Public | 26% |
| Private | 66% |
| Government | 5% |
Chief cook jobs by industry
The most common industries for chief cooks are hospitality, professional and retail.
Chief cook industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Hospitality | 21% |
| Professional | 12% |
| Retail | 9% |
| Transportation | 9% |
| Fortune 500 | 7% |
| Health Care | 6% |
| Manufacturing | 6% |
| Finance | 5% |
| Government | 5% |
| Energy | 5% |
| Real Estate | 4% |
| Technology | 4% |
| Construction | 3% |
| Education | 3% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Chief cook turnover and employment statistics
Chief cook unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for chief cooks between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Chief cook unemployment rate by year
| Year | Chief cook unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 13.74% |
| 2011 | 13.72% |
| 2012 | 12.24% |
| 2013 | 11.55% |
| 2014 | 9.93% |
| 2015 | 8.76% |
| 2016 | 8.73% |
| 2017 | 7.83% |
| 2018 | 7.48% |
| 2019 | 6.91% |
| 2020 | 10.00% |
| 2021 | 10.11% |
Average chief cook tenure
The average chief cook stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 506 chief cooks resumes in Zippia's database.
Chief cook tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 21% |
| 1-2 years | 26% |
| 3-4 years | 18% |
| 5-7 years | 15% |
| 8-10 years | 7% |
| 11+ years | 13% |
Chief cook LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of chief cooks 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Chief Cook | 5.53% | - |
| Deli/Bakery Clerk | 6.78% | 105,572 |
| Lead Server | 7.02% | 123,215 |
| Lead Hostess | 7.29% | 9,634 |
| Food Runner | 7.36% | 240,853 |
| Banquet Bartender | 7.68% | 58,519 |
| Food Service Specialist | 8.43% | 95,112 |
Similar chief cook jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Deli/Bakery Clerk | 6.78% | 105,572 |
| Lead Server | 7.02% | 123,215 |
| Lead Hostess | 7.29% | 9,634 |
| Food Runner | 7.36% | 240,853 |
| Banquet Bartender | 7.68% | 58,519 |
| Food Service Specialist | 8.43% | 95,112 |
Foreign languages spoken by chief cooks
The most common foreign language among chief cooks is Tagalog at 25.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Chinese at 12.5% and Filipino is the third-most popular at 12.5%.
- Tagalog, 25.0%
- Chinese, 12.5%
- Filipino, 12.5%
- Ukrainian, 12.5%
- Japanese, 12.5%
- Other, 25.0%
Chief cook languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Tagalog | 25.0% |
| Chinese | 12.5% |
| Filipino | 12.5% |
| Ukrainian | 12.5% |
| Japanese | 12.5% |
| Other | 25.0% |
