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Lead line cook salary
Average lead line cook salary
$16.49
Understanding Lead Line Cook Salaries
The position of a Lead Line Cook plays a crucial role in the culinary world. As of October 2025, the average salary is $34,293 annually, or about $16.49 per hour. This figure can fluctuate significantly based on various factors, including geographical location and individual experience levels.
In states such as California and New York, Lead Line Cooks can expect higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for skilled culinary professionals. For instance, the highest paying states for this role include:
- California
- New York
- Washington
Experience also heavily influences salary. Entry-level positions may start lower, while those with several years of experience can command salaries closer to the upper range, reflecting their skills and contributions to a kitchen environment. Additionally, Lead Line Cooks working in upscale restaurants or high-volume establishments generally earn more than those in smaller operations.
For anyone considering a career as a Lead Line Cook, understanding these dynamics is essential in navigating job opportunities and salary negotiations effectively.
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Where can a Lead Line Cook earn more?
Lead line cook salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level lead line cook | $25,700 | $12.36 |
| Mid-level lead line cook | $31,100 | $14.93 |
| Senior-level lead line cook | $36,900 | $17.74 |
Lead line cook salary estimates from across the web
Average lead line cook salary by state
The highest-paying states for lead line cooks are Washington, Connecticut, and Alaska. The lowest average lead line cook salary states are Missouri, South Carolina, and Alabama.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for lead line cooks
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $41,844 | $20.12 |
| 2 | Idaho | $37,147 | $17.86 |
| 3 | North Dakota | $40,528 | $19.48 |
| 4 | Washington | $46,177 | $22.20 |
| 5 | Wyoming | $39,505 | $18.99 |
| 6 | Minnesota | $39,269 | $18.88 |
| 7 | Oregon | $41,140 | $19.78 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $41,903 | $20.15 |
| 9 | South Dakota | $36,193 | $17.40 |
| 10 | Montana | $35,671 | $17.15 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $36,362 | $17.48 |
| 12 | Maine | $38,301 | $18.41 |
| 13 | Colorado | $37,949 | $18.24 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $39,506 | $18.99 |
| 15 | Vermont | $39,917 | $19.19 |
| 16 | New Jersey | $40,205 | $19.33 |
| 17 | Nebraska | $35,297 | $16.97 |
| 18 | Nevada | $34,580 | $16.63 |
| 19 | Michigan | $33,759 | $16.23 |
| 20 | Utah | $35,775 | $17.20 |
| 21 | California | $40,287 | $19.37 |
| 22 | Arizona | $35,556 | $17.09 |
| 23 | District of Columbia | $41,774 | $20.08 |
| 24 | Rhode Island | $36,728 | $17.66 |
| 25 | Wisconsin | $34,787 | $16.72 |
| 26 | Virginia | $36,327 | $17.46 |
| 27 | Iowa | $33,797 | $16.25 |
| 28 | Massachusetts | $36,743 | $17.66 |
| 29 | Hawaii | $38,893 | $18.70 |
| 30 | Kentucky | $32,184 | $15.47 |
| 31 | Ohio | $32,296 | $15.53 |
| 32 | New Mexico | $31,779 | $15.28 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $32,466 | $15.61 |
| 34 | Indiana | $31,945 | $15.36 |
| 35 | Texas | $32,138 | $15.45 |
| 36 | Florida | $32,523 | $15.64 |
| 37 | Tennessee | $31,508 | $15.15 |
| 38 | New York | $36,505 | $17.55 |
| 39 | Maryland | $36,305 | $17.45 |
| 40 | Delaware | $35,222 | $16.93 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $30,504 | $14.67 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $30,973 | $14.89 |
| 43 | Louisiana | $31,581 | $15.18 |
| 44 | Illinois | $32,783 | $15.76 |
| 45 | Georgia | $31,675 | $15.23 |
| 46 | Missouri | $30,406 | $14.62 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $30,235 | $14.54 |
| 48 | Kansas | $27,339 | $13.14 |
| 49 | West Virginia | $27,686 | $13.31 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $26,582 | $12.78 |
| 51 | Alabama | $28,801 | $13.85 |
Highest paying cities for lead line cooks
The highest-paying cities for lead line cooks are Kirkland, WA, Washington, DC, and San Francisco, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kirkland, WA | $46,446 | $22.33 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $41,795 | $20.09 |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | $41,761 | $20.08 |
| 4 | Portland, OR | $41,310 | $19.86 |
| 5 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $38,952 | $18.73 |
| 6 | Portland, ME | $38,287 | $18.41 |
| 7 | Denver, CO | $37,987 | $18.26 |
| 8 | New York, NY | $36,428 | $17.51 |
| 9 | Philadelphia, PA | $36,384 | $17.49 |
| 10 | Reno, NV | $35,840 | $17.23 |
| 11 | Provo, UT | $35,653 | $17.14 |
| 12 | Chicago, IL | $32,934 | $15.83 |
| 13 | Lake Worth, FL | $32,373 | $15.56 |
| 14 | Asheville, NC | $32,370 | $15.56 |
| 15 | Dallas, TX | $32,356 | $15.56 |
| 16 | Cincinnati, OH | $31,420 | $15.11 |
| 17 | New Orleans, LA | $31,375 | $15.08 |
| 18 | Birmingham, AL | $28,917 | $13.90 |
Lead line cook salary details
A lead line cook's salary ranges from $26,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $45,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a lead line cook's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $45,000 | $3,750 | $22 |
| 75th Percentile | $39,000 | $3,250 | $19 |
| Average | $34,293 | $2,858 | $16 |
| 25th Percentile | $29,000 | $2,417 | $14 |
| 10th Percentile | $26,000 | $2,167 | $13 |
Highest paying lead line cook jobs
The highest paying types of lead line cooks are executive chef, chef/kitchen manager, and chef.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chef | $46,824 | $3,902 | $22.51 | 65,737 |
| Chef/Kitchen Manager | $49,415 | $4,118 | $23.76 | 38,242 |
| Cook Supervisor | $41,118 | $3,426 | $19.77 | 183,387 |
| Kitchen Lead | $35,678 | $2,973 | $17.15 | 56,300 |
| Prep Cook/Dishwasher | $31,687 | $2,641 | $15.23 | 126,351 |
| Head Chef | $45,470 | $3,789 | $21.86 | 27,331 |
Top companies hiring lead line cooks now:
Which companies pay lead line cooks the most?
Lead line cook salaries at The Culinary Institute of America and St. HOPE are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average lead line cook salary at companies like Ray's Boathouse and Gordon Biersch Brewing are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Culinary Institute of America | $48,805 | $23.46 |
| 2 | St. HOPE | $47,218 | $22.70 |
| 3 | Ray's Boathouse | $45,064 | $21.67 |
| 4 | Gordon Biersch Brewing | $45,045 | $21.66 |
| 5 | Feather Falls Casino | $44,764 | $21.52 |
| 6 | Bon Appétit Management | $44,486 | $21.39 |
| 7 | Vernon Downs | $43,799 | $21.06 |
| 8 | Chumash Casino Resort | $43,207 | $20.77 |
| 9 | National Pancake House | $42,702 | $20.53 |
| 10 | American Cruise Lines | $42,107 | $20.24 |
| 11 | Nj.com | $41,518 | $19.96 |
| 12 | OTTO | $41,114 | $19.77 |
| 13 | Scooter's Coffee | $41,020 | $19.72 |
| 14 | Soboba Casino Resort | $40,135 | $19.30 |
| 15 | Hakkasan Group | $40,069 | $19.26 |
| 16 | Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants | $39,901 | $19.18 |
| 17 | Muckleshoot Casino | $39,782 | $19.13 |
| 18 | Premier Members Credit Union | $39,690 | $19.08 |
| 19 | Hyatt Hotels | $39,420 | $18.95 |
| 20 | Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino | $39,401 | $18.94 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Lead line cook salary trends
The average lead line cook salary has risen by $8,001 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average lead line cook earned $26,292 annually, but today, they earn $34,293 a year. That works out to a 19% change in pay for lead line cooks over the last decade.
Compare lead line cook salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average lead line cook salary over time
Compare lead line cook salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Lead line cook salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $34,300 | $16.49 | +3.5% |
| 2024 | $33,100 | $15.91 | +4.5% |
| 2023 | $31,600 | $15.19 | +5.1% |
| 2022 | $30,000 | $14.41 | +4.1% |
| 2021 | $28,700 | $13.82 | +4.3% |
Recently added lead line cook salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kiawah Resort Associates, L.P | Lead Line Cook-Voysey's at Cassique | Johnsonville, SC | 06/28/2025 | $54,262 |
| Join Our Team at Popstroke | Lead Line Cook | Tuscaloosa, AL | 06/28/2025 | $39,653 |
| Eataly | Lead Line Cook (Future Opportunities)-Eataly Silicon Valley | Santa Clara, CA | 06/27/2025 | $48,001 |
| The Academy Hotel | Lead Line Cook | Colorado Springs, CO | 06/26/2025 | $41,740 |
| Salted | Lead Line Cook | Columbus, OH | 06/26/2025 | $41,740 |
| Salted | Lead Line Cook | Union City, NJ | 06/26/2025 | $43,827 |
| Kiawah Island Real Estate | Lead Line Cook-Voysey's at Cassique | Johnsonville, SC | 06/26/2025 | $54,262 |
| Columbus Hospitality | Lead Line Cook | Centerville, OH | 06/20/2025 | $37,566 |
| Nationwide Hotel and Conference Center | Lead Line Cook | Centerville, OH | 06/19/2025 | $37,566 |
| Margaritaville Resort Biloxi | Lead Line Cook-Margaritaville Restaurant | Biloxi, MS | 06/14/2025 | $35,479 |
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