Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Best states for a line chef
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Job opportunities vary from state to state, and food preparation and restaurant careers are no different. Because we know how difficult it can be to know which states are the best when it comes to line chef jobs, we decided to crunch some numbers to bring you the best states for line chefs.We wanted to look at the best states for line chefs -- where there are plenty of line chef jobs to go around and line chefs get paid what they deserve during every phase of their career.
In order to get you the best states for line chefs, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.We found that the South is best for line chefs, and the Northeast is the worst. Chicopee, MA is the best city in the country for line chef jobs, where as Michigan is the best state in the country.
10 best states for line chefs in 2026
1. Michigan
Total line chef jobs: 832 Average annual salary: $37,968 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $54,000 Location Quotient: 0.92
2. Alaska
Total line chef jobs: 96 Average annual salary: $40,803 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Location Quotient: 0.98
3. New Hampshire
Total line chef jobs: 160 Average annual salary: $41,787 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $61,000 Location Quotient: 0.78
4. Pennsylvania
Total line chef jobs: 1,204 Average annual salary: $36,638 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $54,000 Location Quotient: 0.89
5. Maine
Total line chef jobs: 153 Average annual salary: $35,072 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Location Quotient: 0.99
6. Illinois
Total line chef jobs: 1,314 Average annual salary: $35,978 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Location Quotient: 0.94
7. Ohio
Total line chef jobs: 1,307 Average annual salary: $31,179 Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Location Quotient: 1.09
8. Massachusetts
Total line chef jobs: 735 Average annual salary: $40,255 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Location Quotient: 0.68
9. New Jersey
Total line chef jobs: 719 Average annual salary: $37,534 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Location Quotient: 0.77
10. Indiana
Total line chef jobs: 906 Average annual salary: $29,640 Lowest 10 percent earn: $20,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Location Quotient: 1.18
Line chef jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a line chef
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a line chef
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan | $37,968 | $26,000 | 9,962,311 | 832 |
| 2 | Alaska | $40,803 | $33,000 | 739,795 | 96 |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $41,787 | $28,000 | 1,342,795 | 160 |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | $36,638 | $24,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,204 |
| 5 | Maine | $35,072 | $24,000 | 1,335,907 | 153 |
| 6 | Illinois | $35,978 | $25,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,314 |
| 7 | Ohio | $31,179 | $21,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,307 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $40,255 | $27,000 | 6,859,819 | 735 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $37,534 | $25,000 | 9,005,644 | 719 |
| 10 | Indiana | $29,640 | $20,000 | 6,666,818 | 906 |
| 11 | Nevada | $29,397 | $20,000 | 2,998,039 | 307 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $37,498 | $25,000 | 1,059,639 | 89 |
| 13 | Minnesota | $34,106 | $24,000 | 5,576,606 | 680 |
| 14 | North Dakota | $32,667 | $23,000 | 755,393 | 96 |
| 15 | New York | $35,842 | $24,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,245 |
| 16 | Washington | $37,515 | $26,000 | 7,405,743 | 591 |
| 17 | Montana | $28,295 | $20,000 | 1,050,493 | 142 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $29,600 | $20,000 | 5,795,483 | 480 |
| 19 | Colorado | $28,208 | $19,000 | 5,607,154 | 787 |
| 20 | California | $31,289 | $21,000 | 39,536,653 | 2,821 |
| 21 | North Carolina | $25,731 | $18,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,201 |
| 22 | Wyoming | $28,946 | $20,000 | 579,315 | 52 |
| 23 | Arizona | $25,565 | $17,000 | 7,016,270 | 884 |
| 24 | Kentucky | $24,556 | $17,000 | 4,454,189 | 513 |
| 25 | Oregon | $29,185 | $20,000 | 4,142,776 | 349 |
| 26 | Connecticut | $28,424 | $19,000 | 3,588,184 | 315 |
| 27 | District of Columbia | $32,680 | $22,000 | 693,972 | 115 |
| 28 | Iowa | $25,297 | $17,000 | 3,145,711 | 376 |
| 29 | South Dakota | $27,923 | $19,000 | 869,666 | 77 |
| 30 | Texas | $23,923 | $16,000 | 28,304,596 | 3,245 |
| 31 | Oklahoma | $23,201 | $16,000 | 3,930,864 | 487 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $30,080 | $25,000 | 1,427,538 | 75 |
| 33 | Vermont | $28,362 | $19,000 | 623,657 | 49 |
| 34 | Missouri | $25,279 | $17,000 | 6,113,532 | 627 |
| 35 | West Virginia | $24,373 | $16,000 | 1,815,857 | 151 |
| 36 | Delaware | $27,579 | $18,000 | 961,939 | 89 |
| 37 | Maryland | $28,028 | $18,000 | 6,052,177 | 554 |
| 38 | Alabama | $24,379 | $17,000 | 4,874,747 | 429 |
| 39 | Florida | $22,164 | $15,000 | 20,984,400 | 3,044 |
| 40 | Georgia | $23,647 | $16,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,216 |
| 41 | Mississippi | $22,435 | $15,000 | 2,984,100 | 290 |
| 42 | Virginia | $25,450 | $17,000 | 8,470,020 | 913 |
| 43 | Nebraska | $24,807 | $17,000 | 1,920,076 | 190 |
| 44 | Utah | $21,707 | $15,000 | 3,101,833 | 457 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $19,787 | $13,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,022 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $19,410 | $13,000 | 5,024,369 | 635 |
| 47 | New Mexico | $22,378 | $15,000 | 2,088,070 | 202 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $20,986 | $14,000 | 3,004,279 | 300 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $18,248 | $12,000 | 4,684,333 | 451 |
| 50 | Idaho | $18,215 | $12,000 | 1,716,943 | 182 |
| 51 | Kansas | $20,666 | $14,000 | 2,913,123 | 241 |
Highest paying states for line chefs
| Rank | State | Avg. Line Chef Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan | $37,968 |
| 2 | Alaska | $40,803 |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $41,787 |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | $36,638 |
| 5 | Maine | $35,072 |
| 6 | Illinois | $35,978 |
| 7 | Ohio | $31,179 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $40,255 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $37,534 |
| 10 | Indiana | $29,640 |
| 11 | Nevada | $29,397 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $37,498 |
| 13 | Minnesota | $34,106 |
| 14 | North Dakota | $32,667 |
| 15 | New York | $35,842 |
| 16 | Washington | $37,515 |
| 17 | Montana | $28,295 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $29,600 |
| 19 | Colorado | $28,208 |
| 20 | California | $31,289 |
| 21 | North Carolina | $25,731 |
| 22 | Wyoming | $28,946 |
| 23 | Arizona | $25,565 |
| 24 | Kentucky | $24,556 |
| 25 | Oregon | $29,185 |
| 26 | Connecticut | $28,424 |
| 27 | District of Columbia | $32,680 |
| 28 | Iowa | $25,297 |
| 29 | South Dakota | $27,923 |
| 30 | Texas | $23,923 |
| 31 | Oklahoma | $23,201 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $30,080 |
| 33 | Vermont | $28,362 |
| 34 | Missouri | $25,279 |
| 35 | West Virginia | $24,373 |
| 36 | Delaware | $27,579 |
| 37 | Maryland | $28,028 |
| 38 | Alabama | $24,379 |
| 39 | Florida | $22,164 |
| 40 | Georgia | $23,647 |
| 41 | Mississippi | $22,435 |
| 42 | Virginia | $25,450 |
| 43 | Nebraska | $24,807 |
| 44 | Utah | $21,707 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $19,787 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $19,410 |
| 47 | New Mexico | $22,378 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $20,986 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $18,248 |
| 50 | Idaho | $18,215 |
| 51 | Kansas | $20,666 |
Line chef best states FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common food preparation and restaurant questions.
Search for line chef jobs
Updated January 8, 2025