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Head chef salary
Average head chef salary
$45,470
Understanding Head Chef Salaries
The average salary for a Head Chef is approximately $45,470 per year, translating to about $22 per hour. This figure can vary widely based on geographic location, years of experience, and the type of establishment. For example, Head Chefs in upscale restaurants or major cities often earn higher wages compared to those in smaller venues.
Factors Influencing Salary
Experience plays a crucial role in determining salary. Entry-level positions may start lower, while seasoned chefs can command significantly higher pay. Additionally, chefs with specialized skills or culinary degrees might see enhanced earning potential.
Where to Find Higher Salaries
States like California and New York are known for offering some of the highest salaries for Head Chefs, reflecting the cost of living and demand for skilled culinary professionals. Exploring job opportunities across different states can provide insights into potential earnings and career growth.
Job Opportunities for Head Chefs
Head Chefs are in demand in various sectors including restaurants, hotels, and catering services. Each venue may offer unique salary packages, making it essential for job seekers to research and compare options. As you advance in your culinary career, understanding salary dynamics is key to achieving your professional goals.
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Where can a Head Chef earn more?
Head chef salaries by experience level
Head chef salary estimates from across the web
Average head chef salary by state
The average head chef salary in Hawaii, New Jersey, and Massachusetts are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average head chef salary states are Arkansas, Kansas, and Tennessee.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for head chefs
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | $55,352 | $26.61 |
| 2 | Nevada | $54,225 | $26.07 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $56,283 | $27.06 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $68,904 | $33.13 |
| 5 | New York | $52,343 | $25.16 |
| 6 | Alaska | $50,198 | $24.13 |
| 7 | Texas | $49,525 | $23.81 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $47,060 | $22.63 |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $53,280 | $25.62 |
| 10 | Hawaii | $69,678 | $33.50 |
| 11 | Washington | $52,995 | $25.48 |
| 12 | California | $53,633 | $25.79 |
| 13 | Illinois | $51,230 | $24.63 |
| 14 | Michigan | $47,146 | $22.67 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $46,760 | $22.48 |
| 16 | Maine | $45,538 | $21.89 |
| 17 | Wyoming | $43,049 | $20.70 |
| 18 | Indiana | $44,480 | $21.38 |
| 19 | Florida | $44,178 | $21.24 |
| 20 | North Carolina | $42,447 | $20.41 |
| 21 | Delaware | $44,833 | $21.55 |
| 22 | Virginia | $44,945 | $21.61 |
| 23 | Oregon | $45,122 | $21.69 |
| 24 | Minnesota | $43,850 | $21.08 |
| 25 | Ohio | $42,126 | $20.25 |
| 26 | Maryland | $47,538 | $22.85 |
| 27 | Connecticut | $42,728 | $20.54 |
| 28 | Colorado | $40,891 | $19.66 |
| 29 | Alabama | $41,651 | $20.02 |
| 30 | Mississippi | $39,202 | $18.85 |
| 31 | Kentucky | $39,727 | $19.10 |
| 32 | Georgia | $39,524 | $19.00 |
| 33 | Arizona | $38,253 | $18.39 |
| 34 | Missouri | $39,371 | $18.93 |
| 35 | Montana | $35,154 | $16.90 |
| 36 | New Mexico | $39,922 | $19.19 |
| 37 | North Dakota | $39,323 | $18.91 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $38,718 | $18.61 |
| 39 | South Dakota | $38,630 | $18.57 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $32,291 | $15.52 |
| 41 | West Virginia | $37,950 | $18.25 |
| 42 | Iowa | $36,593 | $17.59 |
| 43 | Utah | $31,743 | $15.26 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $37,594 | $18.07 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $32,267 | $15.51 |
| 46 | Vermont | $36,628 | $17.61 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $37,122 | $17.85 |
| 48 | Wisconsin | $36,608 | $17.60 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $34,736 | $16.70 |
| 50 | Kansas | $32,304 | $15.53 |
| 51 | Idaho | $27,807 | $13.37 |
Highest paying cities for head chefs
The highest-paying cities for head chefs are Wellesley, MA, Washington, DC, and Seattle, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wellesley, MA | $56,294 | $27.06 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $53,302 | $25.63 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $53,270 | $25.61 |
| 4 | Los Angeles, CA | $52,814 | $25.39 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $52,616 | $25.30 |
| 6 | Chicago, IL | $51,407 | $24.71 |
| 7 | Austin, TX | $50,149 | $24.11 |
| 8 | Portland, ME | $46,263 | $22.24 |
| 9 | Coral Gables, FL | $44,987 | $21.63 |
| 10 | Portland, OR | $44,836 | $21.56 |
| 11 | Carmel, IN | $44,397 | $21.34 |
| 12 | Saint Paul, MN | $43,897 | $21.10 |
| 13 | Durham, NC | $42,974 | $20.66 |
| 14 | Denver, CO | $40,868 | $19.65 |
| 15 | Atlanta, GA | $39,511 | $19.00 |
| 16 | Phoenix, AZ | $38,330 | $18.43 |
| 17 | Brookfield, WI | $36,616 | $17.60 |
| 18 | Johnson City, TN | $32,507 | $15.63 |
| 19 | Myrtle Beach, SC | $32,352 | $15.55 |
| 20 | Idaho Falls, ID | $26,717 | $12.84 |
Head chef salary details
A head chef's salary ranges from $28,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $71,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a head chef's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $71,000 | $5,917 | $34 |
| 75th Percentile | $57,000 | $4,750 | $27 |
| Average | $45,470 | $3,789 | $22 |
| 25th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
| 10th Percentile | $28,000 | $2,333 | $13 |
Highest paying head chef jobs
The highest paying types of head chefs are executive chef, chef manager, and chef de cuisine.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pastry Cook | $34,858 | $2,905 | $16.76 | 136,754 |
| Chef De Cuisine | $51,926 | $4,327 | $24.96 | 18,300 |
| Chef De Partie | $39,938 | $3,328 | $19.20 | 18,913 |
| Chef/Catering | $47,693 | $3,974 | $22.93 | 20,512 |
| Chef Manager | $53,470 | $4,456 | $25.71 | 22,346 |
| Lead Line Cook | $34,293 | $2,858 | $16.49 | 173,672 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for head chefs, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Patti Stobaugh
Top companies hiring head chefs now:
Which companies pay head chefs the most?
Head chef salaries at Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics and Kohler Co. are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average head chef salary at companies like Goodwin Recruiting and Il Fornaio are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics | $72,267 | $34.74 |
| 2 | Kohler Co. | $57,867 | $27.82 |
| 3 | Goodwin Recruiting | $55,959 | $26.90 |
| 4 | Il Fornaio | $55,367 | $26.62 |
| 5 | Himalayan Institute | $52,588 | $25.28 |
| 6 | Syracuse University | $52,339 | $25.16 |
| 7 | Thompson Hospitality | $51,757 | $24.88 |
| 8 | Uline | $51,241 | $24.64 |
| 9 | Green Tech High | $51,183 | $24.61 |
| 10 | PLUM | $49,674 | $23.88 |
| 11 | Snooze | $47,951 | $23.05 |
| 12 | College Chefs | $47,856 | $23.01 |
| 13 | Woods Services | $47,824 | $22.99 |
| 14 | NORTH | $47,582 | $22.88 |
| 15 | Yamato Corporation | $46,947 | $22.57 |
| 16 | SAGE Dining Services | $45,989 | $22.11 |
| 17 | Unity College | $45,408 | $21.83 |
| 18 | Monger Co | $44,449 | $21.37 |
| 19 | University of Washington | $44,035 | $21.17 |
| 20 | Bashas' | $43,540 | $20.93 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Head Chef salary by industry
The average head chef salary varies across industries:
- The average head chef salary in the health care industry is $48,735, the highest of any industry.
- The average head chef salary in the finance industry is $47,170.
- Head chefs in the retail industry earn an average salary of $37,677, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for head chefs
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Health Care | $48,735 | $23.43 |
| 2 | Non Profits | $47,170 | $22.68 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $44,229 | $21.26 |
| 4 | Hospitality | $43,713 | $21.02 |
| 5 | Retail | $37,677 | $18.11 |
High paying head chef jobs
Head chef salary trends
The average head chef salary has risen by $9,395 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average head chef earned $36,075 annually, but today, they earn $45,470 a year. That works out to a 24% change in pay for head chefs over the last decade.
Compare head chef salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average head chef salary over time
Compare head chef salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Head chef salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $45,500 | $21.86 | +3.5% |
| 2024 | $43,900 | $21.10 | +6.0% |
| 2023 | $41,300 | $19.85 | +5.2% |
| 2022 | $39,100 | $18.82 | +6.0% |
| 2021 | $36,800 | $17.68 | +3.9% |
Recently added head chef salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bhbw Lodging | Head Chef | Brian Head, UT | 06/25/2025 | $48,000 |
| Joey Restaurants | Head Chef | Tukwila, WA | 06/22/2025 | $80,000 |
| LSG Sky Chefs | Head Chef | San Francisco, CA | 06/20/2025 | $90,453 |
| Fives | Head Chef | Atlanta, GA | 06/20/2025 | $70,000 |
| JosÉ AndrÉS Group | Head Chef | New York, NY | 06/16/2025 | $90,000 |
| Eataly | Head Chef (Future Opportunities)-Eataly Silicon Valley | Santa Clara, CA | 06/14/2025 | $100,000 |
| Jose Andres Group | Head Chef | New York, NY | 06/14/2025 | $90,000 |
| Estes Park Health | Head Chef | Estes Park, CO | 06/09/2025 | $56,036 |
| Compass Group Careers | Head Chef-University of Mary | Bismarck, ND | 06/07/2025 | $55,000 |
| Seattle Boat | Head Chef/Restaurant Manager | Seattle, WA | 06/05/2025 | $90,000 |
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