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Kitchen staff salary
Average kitchen staff salary
$14.33
Understanding Kitchen Staff Salaries
The average salary for kitchen staff as of October 2025 stands at $29,816 annually, translating to about $14 per hour. This figure can differ based on various factors, including geographic location, experience, and specific job titles within the culinary field.
Salary Variations by State
Kitchen staff salaries vary significantly across the United States. For instance, states with high living costs, such as California and New York, often offer higher wages to attract skilled workers. Conversely, regions with lower living expenses tend to have lower salary averages.
Experience Level Impact
Entry-level kitchen staff typically earn less than more experienced colleagues. For example, those just starting in the kitchen may earn around $12 per hour, while seasoned professionals may command upwards of $18 or more, particularly in upscale dining establishments.
Career Advancement Opportunities
For kitchen staff looking to increase their earnings, pursuing specialized roles such as sous chef or head chef can lead to significantly higher pay. Continuing education in culinary arts can also provide a competitive edge in salary negotiations.
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Where can a Kitchen Staff earn more?
Kitchen staff salaries by experience level
Kitchen staff salary estimates from across the web
Average kitchen staff salary by state
The highest-paying states for kitchen staff are Washington, California, and Alaska. The lowest average kitchen staff salary states are Kansas, Oklahoma, and Mississippi.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for kitchen staff
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | $34,263 | $16.47 |
| 2 | California | $37,020 | $17.80 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $35,087 | $16.87 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $32,906 | $15.82 |
| 5 | Washington | $38,134 | $18.33 |
| 6 | Oregon | $35,847 | $17.23 |
| 7 | Michigan | $31,155 | $14.98 |
| 8 | Alaska | $36,257 | $17.43 |
| 9 | Minnesota | $34,098 | $16.39 |
| 10 | Illinois | $31,685 | $15.23 |
| 11 | Colorado | $32,809 | $15.77 |
| 12 | Nevada | $30,419 | $14.62 |
| 13 | Vermont | $33,974 | $16.33 |
| 14 | New York | $32,390 | $15.57 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $32,121 | $15.44 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $28,102 | $13.51 |
| 17 | Connecticut | $32,292 | $15.53 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $31,020 | $14.91 |
| 19 | Hawaii | $32,719 | $15.73 |
| 20 | Arizona | $28,424 | $13.67 |
| 21 | District of Columbia | $35,482 | $17.06 |
| 22 | North Dakota | $31,004 | $14.91 |
| 23 | Utah | $28,383 | $13.65 |
| 24 | Florida | $27,711 | $13.32 |
| 25 | Ohio | $26,616 | $12.80 |
| 26 | Nebraska | $29,737 | $14.30 |
| 27 | Wyoming | $29,828 | $14.34 |
| 28 | Iowa | $28,774 | $13.83 |
| 29 | Delaware | $30,381 | $14.61 |
| 30 | New Jersey | $27,931 | $13.43 |
| 31 | Texas | $25,676 | $12.34 |
| 32 | Indiana | $26,241 | $12.62 |
| 33 | Maryland | $28,941 | $13.91 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $26,161 | $12.58 |
| 35 | South Dakota | $28,036 | $13.48 |
| 36 | North Carolina | $26,501 | $12.74 |
| 37 | New Mexico | $26,281 | $12.64 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $26,027 | $12.51 |
| 39 | Idaho | $27,011 | $12.99 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $25,085 | $12.06 |
| 41 | Missouri | $25,182 | $12.11 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $22,077 | $10.61 |
| 43 | Montana | $25,549 | $12.28 |
| 44 | Virginia | $26,382 | $12.68 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $22,413 | $10.78 |
| 46 | West Virginia | $25,176 | $12.10 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $22,431 | $10.78 |
| 48 | Georgia | $24,297 | $11.68 |
| 49 | Kansas | $23,863 | $11.47 |
| 50 | Alabama | $19,796 | $9.52 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $23,289 | $11.20 |
Highest paying cities for kitchen staff
The highest-paying cities for kitchen staff are Redwood City, CA, Seattle, WA, and Portland, OR.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Redwood City, CA | $38,426 | $18.47 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $38,266 | $18.40 |
| 3 | Portland, OR | $35,869 | $17.24 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $35,106 | $16.88 |
| 5 | Denver, CO | $32,851 | $15.79 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $32,251 | $15.51 |
| 7 | Chicago, IL | $31,823 | $15.30 |
| 8 | Glendale, AZ | $28,535 | $13.72 |
| 9 | Salt Lake City, UT | $28,458 | $13.68 |
| 10 | Jacksonville, FL | $28,149 | $13.53 |
| 11 | Philadelphia, PA | $28,006 | $13.46 |
| 12 | Amarillo, TX | $27,225 | $13.09 |
| 13 | Durham, NC | $26,631 | $12.80 |
| 14 | Greenville, SC | $26,535 | $12.76 |
| 15 | Columbus, OH | $26,139 | $12.57 |
| 16 | Indianapolis, IN | $26,000 | $12.50 |
| 17 | Saint Louis, MO | $25,035 | $12.04 |
| 18 | Kennesaw, GA | $24,597 | $11.83 |
| 19 | Wichita, KS | $23,700 | $11.39 |
| 20 | Oklahoma City, OK | $23,276 | $11.19 |
Kitchen staff salary details
A kitchen staff's salary ranges from $23,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $37,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a kitchen staff's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $37,000 | $3,083 | $18 |
| 75th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
| Average | $29,816 | $2,485 | $14 |
| 25th Percentile | $26,000 | $2,167 | $13 |
| 10th Percentile | $23,000 | $1,917 | $11 |
Highest paying kitchen staff jobs
The highest paying types of kitchen staff are associate food scientist, kitchen lead, and food handler.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cook/Server | $29,716 | $2,476 | $14.29 | 257,582 |
| Food Prep | $25,840 | $2,153 | $12.42 | 168,743 |
| Food Service Worker | $28,753 | $2,396 | $13.82 | 169,323 |
| Food Preparer | $27,717 | $2,310 | $13.33 | 134,113 |
| Food Server | $25,209 | $2,101 | $12.12 | 125,455 |
| Food Prep/Dishwasher | $29,964 | $2,497 | $14.41 | 113,200 |
Top companies hiring kitchen staff now:
Which companies pay kitchen staff the most?
Kitchen staff salaries at The Road Home and DoorDash are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average kitchen staff salary at companies like United Service Technologies and PCC Community Markets are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Road Home | $42,283 | $20.33 |
| 2 | DoorDash | $38,001 | $18.27 |
| 3 | United Service Technologies | $37,686 | $18.12 |
| 4 | PCC Community Markets | $34,947 | $16.80 |
| 5 | McMenamins Pubs & Breweries | $34,933 | $16.79 |
| 6 | Carrabba's | $34,685 | $16.68 |
| 7 | The General | $34,321 | $16.50 |
| 8 | House of Blues | $33,991 | $16.34 |
| 9 | Hyatt Hotels | $33,962 | $16.33 |
| 10 | DIGS.com | $32,706 | $15.72 |
| 11 | Msu | $32,629 | $15.69 |
| 12 | Legends Hospitality | $32,135 | $15.45 |
| 13 | Samaritan House | $32,055 | $15.41 |
| 14 | The Shed | $31,836 | $15.31 |
| 15 | Riveredge Hospital | $31,635 | $15.21 |
| 16 | University Club of Grand Rapids | $31,390 | $15.09 |
| 17 | Winter Park Resort | $31,369 | $15.08 |
| 18 | W Holding Company | $31,309 | $15.05 |
| 19 | Athlos Academies | $31,258 | $15.03 |
| 20 | Legend Holdings | $31,112 | $14.96 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Kitchen Staff salary by industry
The average kitchen staff salary varies across industries:
- The average kitchen staff salary in the education industry is $30,914, the highest of any industry.
- The average kitchen staff salary in the finance industry is $30,584.
- Kitchen staff in the manufacturing industry earn an average salary of $26,977, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for kitchen staff
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Education | $30,914 | $14.86 |
| 2 | Retail | $30,584 | $14.70 |
| 3 | Hospitality | $28,768 | $13.83 |
| 4 | Manufacturing | $26,977 | $12.97 |
High paying kitchen staff jobs
Kitchen staff salary trends
The average kitchen staff salary has risen by $7,777 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average kitchen staff earned $22,039 annually, but today, they earn $29,816 a year. That works out to a 22% change in pay for kitchen staff over the last decade.
Compare kitchen staff salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average kitchen staff salary over time
Compare kitchen staff salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Kitchen staff salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $29,800 | $14.33 | +4.9% |
| 2024 | $28,400 | $13.64 | +4.3% |
| 2023 | $27,100 | $13.05 | +4.2% |
| 2022 | $26,000 | $12.50 | +5.7% |
| 2021 | $24,500 | $11.79 | +5.9% |
Recently added kitchen staff salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dig Chefs-In-Training | Kitchen Position, Brookfield Place | New York, NY | 06/29/2025 | $34,436 |
| HMC Hospitality Group | Kitchen Staff | Chicago, IL | 06/27/2025 | $35,479 |
| Bonney Staffing | Back of House-Kitchen Staff | Urgently for Summer Coverage 827035 | Gorham, ME | 06/27/2025 | $41,740 |
| Heritage Christian Services | Child Care Kitchen/Float Staff | Webster, NY | 06/26/2025 | $34,018 |
| Hooters Management Company | Kitchen Staff | Aurora, CO | 06/20/2025 | $35,479 |
| Hooters Management Company | Kitchen Staff | Chicago, IL | 06/20/2025 | $35,479 |
| Alpha Project for The Homeless | Kitchen Staff (Casa Raphael) | Vista, CA | 06/20/2025 | $39,653 |
| Someburros Inc. | Kitchen Positions | Queen Creek, AZ | 06/20/2025 | $31,305 |
| The Road Home | Kitchen Staff--Under | Salt Lake City, UT | 06/19/2025 | $32,870 |
| Citybbq | Restaurant (Front) Staff | Highland Heights, KY | 06/17/2025 | $27,131 |
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