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Job outlook for lead cooks in the United States
Lead cook job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected lead cook job growth rate is 16% from 2018-2028.
About 419,300 new jobs for lead cooks are projected over the next decade.
Lead cook salaries have increased 19% for lead cooks in the last 5 years.
There are over 112,478 lead cooks currently employed in the United States.
There are 160,223 active lead cook job openings in the US.
The average lead cook salary is $35,964.
Are lead cook jobs in demand?
Yes, lead cook jobs are in demand. Lead cook demand is projected to grow 16% from 2018 to 2028.
Lead cook job and salary trends over time
Compare the number of lead cook jobs and the average lead cook salary over time.
Lead cook jobs over time
Lead cook job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 112,478 | 0.03% |
| 2020 | 101,992 | 0.03% |
| 2019 | 124,965 | 0.04% |
| 2018 | 119,431 | 0.04% |
| 2017 | 114,017 | 0.03% |
Average lead cook salary over time
Lead cook salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $35,964 | $17.29 | +3.6% |
| 2024 | $34,703 | $16.68 | +4.7% |
| 2023 | $33,129 | $15.93 | +5.4% |
| 2022 | $31,444 | $15.12 | +4.3% |
| 2021 | $30,145 | $14.49 | +4.5% |
Lead cook jobs by state
The map below shows you the number of lead cook job openings in each state. The darker areas on the map show where lead cooks earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Average salary: Job openings:
Most common states for lead cooks
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 196 | 34% |
| 2 | Alaska | 739,795 | 247 | 33% |
| 3 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 913 | 29% |
| 4 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 395 | 29% |
| 5 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 303 | 29% |
| 6 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 1,715 | 26% |
| 7 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 2,875 | 25% |
| 8 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 427 | 25% |
| 9 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 264 | 25% |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 3,056 | 24% |
| 11 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 1,497 | 24% |
| 12 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 496 | 24% |
| 13 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 454 | 24% |
| 14 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 666 | 23% |
| 15 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 198 | 23% |
| 16 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 647 | 22% |
| 17 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 2,121 | 21% |
| 18 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 629 | 21% |
| 19 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 1,145 | 20% |
| 20 | Oklahoma | 3,930,864 | 781 | 20% |
Most common cities for lead cooks
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hastings | 4 | 16% | $34,555 |
| 2 | Natick | 4 | 12% | $45,810 |
| 3 | Lowell | 5 | 5% | $45,963 |
| 4 | Elk Grove | 5 | 3% | $44,103 |
| 5 | Scottsdale | 6 | 2% | $38,640 |
| 6 | Tampa | 6 | 2% | $35,198 |
| 7 | Boston | 8 | 1% | $45,884 |
| 8 | Austin | 7 | 1% | $33,961 |
| 9 | Indianapolis | 7 | 1% | $31,014 |
| 10 | Denver | 6 | 1% | $39,677 |
| 11 | Raleigh | 5 | 1% | $32,872 |
| 12 | Atlanta | 4 | 1% | $32,233 |
| 13 | Chicago | 7 | 0% | $34,475 |
| 14 | Phoenix | 6 | 0% | $38,684 |
| 15 | Los Angeles | 5 | 0% | $42,971 |
| 16 | Houston | 4 | 0% | $33,449 |