Best cities for a culinary internship
The best cities for culinary interns are Cleveland, OH, Milwaukee, WI, and Chicago, IL, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for culinary interns vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for culinary interns in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a culinary internship or considering a move, this list of the best cities for culinary interns to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for culinary interns. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a culinary internship. While the absolute best city for culinary interns is Cleveland, OH, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for culinary interns in 2024.
If you're looking for a culinary internship job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for culinary interns in 2026
1. Cleveland, OH
Total culinary internship jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $31,488 Lowest 10 percent warn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Location quotient: 3.37 2. Milwaukee, WI
Total culinary internship jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $32,042 Lowest 10 percent warn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Location quotient: 4.52 3. Chicago, IL
Total culinary internship jobs: 11 Average annual salary: $36,865 Lowest 10 percent warn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Location quotient: 1.98 4. Saint Louis, MO
Total culinary internship jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $33,710 Lowest 10 percent warn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Location quotient: 2.23 5. Indianapolis, IN
Total culinary internship jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $31,778 Lowest 10 percent warn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Location quotient: 1.36 6. Portland, OR
Total culinary internship jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $38,343 Lowest 10 percent warn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Location quotient: 0.00 7. Reno, NV
Total culinary internship jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $34,663 Lowest 10 percent warn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location quotient: 0.00 8. Minneapolis, MN
Total culinary internship jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $36,228 Lowest 10 percent warn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Location quotient: 0.00 9. Fort Wayne, IN
Total culinary internship jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $32,247 Lowest 10 percent warn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Location quotient: 0.00 10. Saint Paul, MN
Total culinary internship jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $36,226 Lowest 10 percent warn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Location quotient: 0.00
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Best cities for culinary interns
- Cleveland, OH
- Milwaukee, WI
- Chicago, IL
- Saint Louis, MO
- Indianapolis, IN
- Portland, OR
- Reno, NV
- Minneapolis, MN
- Fort Wayne, IN
- Saint Paul, MN
- (3 culinary internship jobs)
- (5 culinary internship jobs)
- (11 culinary internship jobs)
- (4 culinary internship jobs)
- (3 culinary internship jobs)
- (0 culinary internship jobs)
- (0 culinary internship jobs)
- (0 culinary internship jobs)
- (0 culinary internship jobs)
- (0 culinary internship jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a culinary internship
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cleveland, OH | $31,488 | $25,000 | 385,809 | 3 |
| 2 | Milwaukee, WI | $32,042 | $25,000 | 595,047 | 5 |
| 3 | Chicago, IL | $36,865 | $29,000 | 2,704,958 | 11 |
| 4 | Saint Louis, MO | $33,710 | $27,000 | 311,404 | 4 |
| 5 | Indianapolis, IN | $31,778 | $25,000 | 855,164 | 3 |
| 6 | Portland, OR | $38,343 | $30,000 | 639,863 | - |
| 7 | Reno, NV | $34,663 | $27,000 | 245,255 | - |
| 8 | Minneapolis, MN | $36,228 | $29,000 | 413,651 | - |
| 9 | Fort Wayne, IN | $32,247 | $25,000 | 264,488 | - |
| 10 | Saint Paul, MN | $36,226 | $29,000 | 302,398 | - |
| 11 | Las Vegas, NV | $33,866 | $27,000 | 632,912 | - |
| 12 | Toledo, OH | $31,548 | $25,000 | 278,508 | - |
| 13 | Henderson, NV | $33,830 | $27,000 | 292,969 | - |
| 14 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $43,411 | $35,000 | 351,792 | 1 |
| 15 | North Las Vegas, NV | $33,824 | $27,000 | 238,702 | - |
| 16 | El Paso, TX | $33,458 | $26,000 | 683,080 | - |
| 17 | Cincinnati, OH | $30,585 | $24,000 | 298,800 | 2 |
| 18 | Boston, MA | $39,430 | $31,000 | 673,184 | - |
| 19 | Kansas City, MO | $34,040 | $27,000 | 481,420 | - |
| 20 | San Antonio, TX | $32,105 | $25,000 | 1,492,510 | 1 |
| 21 | Madison, WI | $32,017 | $25,000 | 252,551 | - |
| 22 | Detroit, MI | $31,526 | $25,000 | 672,795 | - |
| 23 | Anchorage, AK | $37,436 | $32,000 | 298,192 | - |
| 24 | Lubbock, TX | $32,895 | $26,000 | 252,506 | - |
| 25 | Seattle, WA | $36,325 | $29,000 | 704,352 | 3 |
| 26 | Columbus, OH | $30,938 | $24,000 | 860,090 | 1 |
| 27 | Laredo, TX | $32,183 | $25,000 | 257,156 | - |
| 28 | Fort Worth, TX | $32,147 | $26,000 | 854,113 | - |
| 29 | Austin, TX | $32,036 | $25,000 | 947,890 | 2 |
| 30 | Anaheim, CA | $38,038 | $30,000 | 351,043 | 10 |
| 31 | Arlington, TX | $32,108 | $26,000 | 392,772 | - |
| 32 | Irving, TX | $32,105 | $26,000 | 238,289 | - |
| 33 | Newark, NJ | $37,669 | $29,000 | 281,764 | - |
| 34 | Dallas, TX | $32,072 | $26,000 | 1,317,929 | 1 |
| 35 | Jersey City, NJ | $37,661 | $29,000 | 264,152 | - |
| 36 | Plano, TX | $32,088 | $26,000 | 286,057 | - |
| 37 | Orlando, FL | $32,249 | $25,000 | 277,173 | 5 |
| 38 | Garland, TX | $32,065 | $26,000 | 234,943 | - |
| 39 | Glendale, AZ | $32,720 | $26,000 | 245,895 | - |
| 40 | Phoenix, AZ | $32,706 | $26,000 | 1,615,017 | - |
| 41 | Scottsdale, AZ | $32,675 | $26,000 | 246,645 | - |
| 42 | Chandler, AZ | $32,663 | $26,000 | 247,477 | - |
| 43 | Gilbert, AZ | $32,649 | $26,000 | 237,133 | - |
| 44 | Mesa, AZ | $32,647 | $26,000 | 484,587 | - |
| 45 | Corpus Christi, TX | $31,891 | $25,000 | 325,733 | - |
| 46 | Tucson, AZ | $32,470 | $26,000 | 530,706 | - |
| 47 | Houston, TX | $31,738 | $25,000 | 2,303,482 | 1 |
| 48 | Los Angeles, CA | $38,154 | $30,000 | 3,976,322 | 4 |
| 49 | San Francisco, CA | $39,003 | $30,000 | 870,887 | - |
| 50 | Irvine, CA | $37,999 | $30,000 | 266,122 | 2 |
Highest paying cities for culinary interns
| Rank | City | Avg. culinary internship salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Napa, CA | $38,898 |
| 2 | Chicago, IL | $36,865 |
| 3 | Henrietta, NY | $35,181 |
| 4 | Broomfield, CO | $32,958 |
| 5 | Orlando, FL | $32,249 |
| 6 | Fort Worth, TX | $32,147 |
| 7 | Beloit, WI | $31,864 |
| 8 | Cleveland, OH | $31,488 |
| 9 | Alexandria, VA | $30,064 |
| 10 | Charleston, SC | $29,593 |
| 11 | Oklahoma City, OK | $28,357 |
| 12 | Bethlehem, PA | $27,929 |
| 13 | Asheville, NC | $27,602 |
| 14 | Franklin, TN | $27,445 |
| 15 | Atlanta, GA | $26,689 |
| 16 | Auburn, AL | $26,457 |
Culinary internship best cities FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025