Post job
Average culinary arts major salary
Updated September 14, 2023
$44,173

What is the average culinary arts major salary in the US?

Culinary arts major graduates in America make an average salary of $44,173 per year or $21.24 per hour.There is a huge gap between the top 10 percent earners and the bottom 10 percent earners -- about $46,000. The top 10 percent earn over $72,000, while the bottom 10 percent make less than $26,000 annually.Employers that have the highest concentration of job opportunities for culinary arts majors are hospitality companies and retail companies.States with the highest salaries for culinary arts major graduates include New Jersey, Hawaii, Massachusetts, California, and Rhode Island.
Best paying cities
$54,229
$52,316
$51,613

Average culinary arts salary by company

Culinary arts major graduates report their job security as good. But just as in every field, some employers pay higher wages than others.Most jobs for culinary arts majors are in hospitality companies and hospitality companies.Bon Appétit Management and The Culinary Institute of America are the highest paying companies.Also, companies like Logan's Roadhouse and Maggiano's Little Italy pay culinary arts major graduates very well.

Average culinary arts major salary by city

Culinary arts major graduates in the US make an average salary of $44,173 per year or $21.24 per hour.The city with the highest salaries for culinary arts major graduates is San Francisco, CA at $54,229 per year.The average entry-level salary in San Francisco, CA is $30,000.Other top cities with competitive salaries are Boston, MA, Washington, DC, Seattle, WA, New York, NY, Philadelphia, PA, and Las Vegas, NV.New Jersey, Hawaii, Massachusetts, California, and Rhode Island are the states with the highest payscale for culinary arts major graduates.Utah, South Carolina, Idaho, Louisiana, and Arkansas have the lowest reported salaries for culinary arts major graduates.

Average salary by location

RankCityAverage culinary arts salarySalary range
1San Francisco, CA
$54,229
$30k
$73k
2Boston, MA
$52,316
$30k
$73k
3Washington, DC
$51,613
$30k
$73k
4Seattle, WA
$50,908
$30k
$73k
5New York, NY
$49,902
$30k
$73k
6Philadelphia, PA
$47,256
$30k
$73k
7Las Vegas, NV
$46,377
$30k
$73k
8Portland, ME
$46,149
$30k
$73k
9Baltimore, MD
$45,845
$30k
$73k
10Chicago, IL
$44,838
$30k
$73k
11Portland, OR
$44,379
$30k
$73k
12San Antonio, TX
$42,764
$30k
$73k
13Denver, CO
$42,467
$30k
$73k
14Minneapolis, MN
$42,037
$30k
$73k
15Phoenix, AZ
$41,836
$30k
$73k
16Greenville, NC
$41,825
$30k
$73k
17Miami, FL
$41,453
$30k
$73k
18Cleveland, OH
$41,187
$30k
$73k
19Columbus, GA
$40,440
$30k
$73k
20Indianapolis, IN
$40,146
$30k
$73k

Average culinary arts major salary by state

The darker areas on the map show where culinary arts majors earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.

Average salary

Culinary arts major average salary by state

StateAverage culinary arts major salaryAverage hourly rate
New Jersey$56,819$27.32
Hawaii$55,776$26.82
Massachusetts$52,418$25.20
California$52,355$25.17
Rhode Island$50,912$24.48
Washington$50,787$24.42
New York$49,899$23.99
New Hampshire$47,830$23.00
Pennsylvania$46,811$22.51
Connecticut$46,772$22.49
Nevada$46,572$22.39
Delaware$46,157$22.19
Maine$45,737$21.99
Alaska$45,715$21.98
Maryland$45,686$21.96
Illinois$44,623$21.45
Oregon$44,575$21.43
Virginia$43,869$21.09
Michigan$43,331$20.83
Vermont$43,297$20.82
Colorado$42,531$20.45
North Dakota$42,286$20.33
Texas$42,180$20.28
Minnesota$42,025$20.20
Arizona$41,838$20.11
Florida$41,025$19.72
North Carolina$40,785$19.61
Indiana$40,328$19.39
Georgia$40,295$19.37
Ohio$40,039$19.25
New Mexico$39,776$19.12
Missouri$39,149$18.82
Wisconsin$38,993$18.75
West Virginia$38,513$18.52
Alabama$38,452$18.49
Oklahoma$38,188$18.36
Montana$38,036$18.29
Wyoming$37,976$18.26
South Dakota$37,556$18.06
Nebraska$37,415$17.99
Mississippi$36,704$17.65
Iowa$36,682$17.64
Tennessee$36,602$17.60
Kentucky$36,546$17.57
Utah$36,486$17.54
South Carolina$36,405$17.50
Idaho$36,057$17.34
Louisiana$35,882$17.25
Arkansas$35,712$17.17
Kansas$35,661$17.14

Salary history for culinary arts major graduates

This data shows the national average salary between 2011-2020 among Culinary Arts major graduates.

Salaries for related majors

RankMajorAverage salaryRange
1Mortuary Science
$40,313
$26k
$50k
2Cosmetology
$34,875
$26k
$50k