Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Head cook salary
Average head cook salary
$44,412
Average Head Cook Salary
The average salary for a Head Cook in the United States is $44,412 per year, translating to about $21 per hour. Variations in salary can occur based on experience levels, with entry-level positions earning less and more experienced cooks earning significantly more. Factors such as location also play a critical role; for instance, urban areas often offer higher wages compared to rural settings.
Head Cook Salary by State
Salary estimates reveal that states like California and New York tend to provide higher compensation for head cooks. Understanding these regional differences can help job seekers target their applications effectively.
Opportunities for Advancement
As a head cook, there are numerous paths for advancement, including positions such as Executive Chef or Kitchen Manager. These roles not only offer higher salaries but also increased responsibilities and leadership opportunities. To maximize potential earnings, consider gaining experience in various culinary settings.
Let Zippi find your next head cook job
Let Zippi find your next head cook job
Where can a Head Cook earn more?
Head cook salaries by experience level
Head cook salary estimates from across the web
Average head cook salary by state
The highest-paying states for head cooks are New Jersey, Hawaii, and Washington. The lowest average head cook salary states are Vermont, Utah, and Iowa.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for head cooks
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | $56,176 | $27.01 |
| 2 | Nevada | $54,697 | $26.30 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $71,162 | $34.21 |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | $50,487 | $24.27 |
| 5 | Georgia | $49,778 | $23.93 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $54,147 | $26.03 |
| 7 | Washington | $56,621 | $27.22 |
| 8 | Michigan | $46,328 | $22.27 |
| 9 | Alaska | $53,319 | $25.63 |
| 10 | Wyoming | $46,659 | $22.43 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $53,346 | $25.65 |
| 12 | Hawaii | $59,571 | $28.64 |
| 13 | Maine | $49,170 | $23.64 |
| 14 | Maryland | $51,006 | $24.52 |
| 15 | Missouri | $44,107 | $21.21 |
| 16 | Virginia | $49,286 | $23.70 |
| 17 | Tennessee | $41,050 | $19.74 |
| 18 | Colorado | $45,788 | $22.01 |
| 19 | California | $51,256 | $24.64 |
| 20 | Arizona | $43,043 | $20.69 |
| 21 | Illinois | $44,397 | $21.34 |
| 22 | North Carolina | $42,007 | $20.20 |
| 23 | Ohio | $40,855 | $19.64 |
| 24 | Indiana | $40,923 | $19.67 |
| 25 | New Hampshire | $46,927 | $22.56 |
| 26 | Alabama | $42,009 | $20.20 |
| 27 | Kentucky | $39,743 | $19.11 |
| 28 | Oklahoma | $39,822 | $19.15 |
| 29 | New Mexico | $41,803 | $20.10 |
| 30 | New York | $46,693 | $22.45 |
| 31 | Oregon | $45,210 | $21.74 |
| 32 | Florida | $40,765 | $19.60 |
| 33 | Mississippi | $39,231 | $18.86 |
| 34 | Minnesota | $42,701 | $20.53 |
| 35 | South Carolina | $39,651 | $19.06 |
| 36 | Delaware | $43,097 | $20.72 |
| 37 | North Dakota | $40,558 | $19.50 |
| 38 | District of Columbia | $47,316 | $22.75 |
| 39 | Louisiana | $37,601 | $18.08 |
| 40 | Idaho | $39,737 | $19.10 |
| 41 | Connecticut | $41,542 | $19.97 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $35,269 | $16.96 |
| 43 | West Virginia | $37,397 | $17.98 |
| 44 | Montana | $38,308 | $18.42 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $38,748 | $18.63 |
| 46 | Kansas | $34,779 | $16.72 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $37,877 | $18.21 |
| 48 | Iowa | $35,955 | $17.29 |
| 49 | Utah | $36,292 | $17.45 |
| 50 | Vermont | $36,409 | $17.50 |
| 51 | Wisconsin | $32,406 | $15.58 |
Highest paying cities for head cooks
The highest-paying cities for head cooks are San Antonio, TX, Seattle, WA, and Las Vegas, NV.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Antonio, TX | $57,577 | $27.68 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $56,908 | $27.36 |
| 3 | Las Vegas, NV | $54,666 | $26.28 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $53,351 | $25.65 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $52,221 | $25.11 |
| 6 | Philadelphia, PA | $51,419 | $24.72 |
| 7 | Baltimore, MD | $51,369 | $24.70 |
| 8 | Alexandria, VA | $50,348 | $24.21 |
| 9 | Washington, DC | $47,339 | $22.76 |
| 10 | New York, NY | $46,875 | $22.54 |
| 11 | Boulder, CO | $45,840 | $22.04 |
| 12 | Buffalo Grove, IL | $44,452 | $21.37 |
| 13 | Phoenix, AZ | $43,035 | $20.69 |
| 14 | Fayetteville, NC | $42,151 | $20.26 |
| 15 | Southington, CT | $41,450 | $19.93 |
| 16 | Miami, FL | $40,494 | $19.47 |
| 17 | Fargo, ND | $40,034 | $19.25 |
| 18 | Tulsa, OK | $39,473 | $18.98 |
| 19 | Houma, LA | $38,085 | $18.31 |
| 20 | Ogden, UT | $36,058 | $17.34 |
Head cook salary details
A head cook's salary ranges from $32,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $61,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a head cook's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $61,000 | $5,083 | $29 |
| 75th Percentile | $52,000 | $4,333 | $25 |
| Average | $44,412 | $3,701 | $21 |
| 25th Percentile | $37,000 | $3,083 | $18 |
| 10th Percentile | $32,000 | $2,667 | $15 |
Highest paying head cook jobs
The highest paying types of head cooks are head chef, pastry cook, and banquet cook.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cook/Dietary Aide | $27,490 | $2,291 | $13.22 | 163,273 |
| Cook/Dishwasher | $31,703 | $2,642 | $15.24 | 133,000 |
| Line Cook, Prep Cook | $32,982 | $2,748 | $15.86 | 164,756 |
| Grill Cook | $31,895 | $2,658 | $15.33 | 184,603 |
| Kitchen Cook | $31,452 | $2,621 | $15.12 | 250,354 |
| Fry Cook | $30,622 | $2,552 | $14.72 | 246,323 |
Top companies hiring head cooks now:
Which companies pay head cooks the most?
Head cook salaries at Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics and Anthony are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average head cook salary at companies like Sherpa and HealthTrust are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics | $61,031 | $29.34 |
| 2 | Anthony | $50,247 | $24.16 |
| 3 | Sherpa | $48,727 | $23.43 |
| 4 | HealthTrust | $48,203 | $23.17 |
| 5 | Remote | $47,398 | $22.79 |
| 6 | Annapurna Pictures | $46,805 | $22.50 |
| 7 | P B Holdings | $46,752 | $22.48 |
| 8 | Westchester | $46,752 | $22.48 |
| 9 | ZK Software | $46,752 | $22.48 |
| 10 | Sanford-Good Samaritan Community Health | $46,752 | $22.48 |
| 11 | MID-Sioux Opportunity Inc | $46,752 | $22.48 |
| 12 | Food systems | $46,719 | $22.46 |
| 13 | Embassy C E S | $46,403 | $22.31 |
| 14 | Sushi Ran | $45,621 | $21.93 |
| 15 | Northern Tier | $45,553 | $21.90 |
| 16 | First Atlantic | $45,406 | $21.83 |
| 17 | gen-E | $45,324 | $21.79 |
| 18 | Taher, Inc. Professional Food Service Management | $45,250 | $21.75 |
| 19 | Farm & Wilderness | $45,244 | $21.75 |
| 20 | Dickinson College | $45,154 | $21.71 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Head cook salary trends
The average head cook salary has risen by $9,177 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average head cook earned $35,235 annually, but today, they earn $44,412 a year. That works out to a 24% change in pay for head cooks over the last decade.
Compare head cook salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average head cook salary over time
Compare head cook salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Head cook salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $44,400 | $21.35 | +3.5% |
| 2024 | $42,900 | $20.61 | +6.0% |
| 2023 | $40,300 | $19.38 | +5.2% |
| 2022 | $38,200 | $18.38 | +6.0% |
| 2021 | $35,900 | $17.27 | +3.9% |
Recently added head cook salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hoquiam School District | Head Cook-Summer School | Hoquiam, WA | 06/30/2025 | $47,438 |
| Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma | Cook 2-Head Start | Antlers, OK | 06/27/2025 | $34,122 |
| Delano Public School District | Assistant Head Cook | Delano, MN | 06/27/2025 | $50,818 |
| Audubon Area Community Services | Cook (Head Start) | Hopkinsville, KY | 06/25/2025 | $25,795 |
| Suny College of Technology at Delhi | Head Cook | Delhi, NY | 06/25/2025 | $42,867 |
| Gateway Foundation | Head Cook (Kedzie Recovery Home) | Chicago, IL | 06/23/2025 | $40,216 |
| Foster Farms | Head Cook II-Ftp2 (Night Shift) | Turlock, CA | 06/22/2025 | $37,149 |
| Chautauqua | Head Cook | Jamestown, NY | 06/21/2025 | $36,168 |
| Ganko Ittetsu Ramen | Head Cook | Brookline, MA | 06/21/2025 | $52,175 |
| North Idaho College | Head Start Center Cook (Coeur D' Alene) | Hope, ID | 06/20/2025 | $36,314 |
Head cook salary FAQs
Search for head cook jobs