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Line chef salary
Average line chef salary
$12.81
Understanding Line Chef Salaries
The average salary for a line chef in the United States is $26,651 per year, or about $13 per hour. This figure can fluctuate based on various factors, including experience, geographic location, and the type of establishment. For instance, line chefs in upscale restaurants often earn higher salaries compared to those in fast-food chains.
Experience plays a significant role in salary potential. Entry-level positions might start at around $12.81 per hour, while those with several years of experience can command significantly higher wages. In addition, line chefs who specialize in certain cuisines or techniques may also see increased earnings.
Where to Find Higher Salaries
Regions with a high demand for culinary talent, such as New York or California, typically offer more lucrative opportunities. Additionally, large cities often provide better compensation compared to rural areas. To maximize earnings, aspiring line chefs should consider seeking employment in high-end restaurants or hotels.
For those interested in advancing their careers, understanding the salary landscape and exploring various establishments can lead to better job opportunities and higher pay.
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Where can a Line Chef earn more?
Line chef salaries by experience level
Line chef salary estimates from across the web
Average line chef salary by state
The highest-paying states for line chefs are New Hampshire, Alaska, and Massachusetts. The lowest average line chef salary states are Arkansas, Kansas, and Tennessee.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for line chefs
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan | $37,968 | $18.25 |
| 2 | Alaska | $40,803 | $19.62 |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $41,787 | $20.09 |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | $36,638 | $17.61 |
| 5 | Maine | $35,072 | $16.86 |
| 6 | Illinois | $35,978 | $17.30 |
| 7 | Ohio | $31,179 | $14.99 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $40,255 | $19.35 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $37,534 | $18.05 |
| 10 | Indiana | $29,640 | $14.25 |
| 11 | Nevada | $29,397 | $14.13 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $37,498 | $18.03 |
| 13 | Minnesota | $34,106 | $16.40 |
| 14 | North Dakota | $32,667 | $15.71 |
| 15 | New York | $35,842 | $17.23 |
| 16 | Washington | $37,515 | $18.04 |
| 17 | Montana | $28,295 | $13.60 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $29,600 | $14.23 |
| 19 | Colorado | $28,208 | $13.56 |
| 20 | California | $31,289 | $15.04 |
| 21 | North Carolina | $25,731 | $12.37 |
| 22 | Wyoming | $28,946 | $13.92 |
| 23 | Arizona | $25,565 | $12.29 |
| 24 | Kentucky | $24,556 | $11.81 |
| 25 | Oregon | $29,185 | $14.03 |
| 26 | Connecticut | $28,424 | $13.67 |
| 27 | District of Columbia | $32,680 | $15.71 |
| 28 | Iowa | $25,297 | $12.16 |
| 29 | South Dakota | $27,923 | $13.42 |
| 30 | Texas | $23,923 | $11.50 |
| 31 | Oklahoma | $23,201 | $11.15 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $30,080 | $14.46 |
| 33 | Vermont | $28,362 | $13.64 |
| 34 | Missouri | $25,279 | $12.15 |
| 35 | West Virginia | $24,373 | $11.72 |
| 36 | Delaware | $27,579 | $13.26 |
| 37 | Maryland | $28,028 | $13.47 |
| 38 | Alabama | $24,379 | $11.72 |
| 39 | Florida | $22,164 | $10.66 |
| 40 | Georgia | $23,647 | $11.37 |
| 41 | Mississippi | $22,435 | $10.79 |
| 42 | Virginia | $25,450 | $12.24 |
| 43 | Nebraska | $24,807 | $11.93 |
| 44 | Utah | $21,707 | $10.44 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $19,787 | $9.51 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $19,410 | $9.33 |
| 47 | New Mexico | $22,378 | $10.76 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $20,986 | $10.09 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $18,248 | $8.77 |
| 50 | Idaho | $18,215 | $8.76 |
| 51 | Kansas | $20,666 | $9.94 |
Highest paying cities for line chefs
The highest-paying cities for line chefs are Chicopee, MA, Rochester, NY, and Novi, MI.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicopee, MA | $40,183 | $19.32 |
| 2 | Rochester, NY | $38,082 | $18.31 |
| 3 | Novi, MI | $37,848 | $18.20 |
| 4 | Edison, NJ | $37,479 | $18.02 |
| 5 | Philadelphia, PA | $36,573 | $17.58 |
| 6 | Chicago, IL | $36,342 | $17.47 |
| 7 | Saint Paul, MN | $34,058 | $16.37 |
| 8 | Cleveland, OH | $33,166 | $15.95 |
| 9 | Santa Rosa, CA | $32,834 | $15.79 |
| 10 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $30,166 | $14.50 |
| 11 | Portland, OR | $29,395 | $14.13 |
| 12 | Las Vegas, NV | $29,020 | $13.95 |
| 13 | Denver, CO | $28,279 | $13.60 |
| 14 | Rockville, MD | $27,802 | $13.37 |
| 15 | Alexandria, VA | $26,923 | $12.94 |
| 16 | Charlotte, NC | $25,521 | $12.27 |
| 17 | Plano, TX | $24,026 | $11.55 |
| 18 | Duluth, GA | $23,814 | $11.45 |
| 19 | Orlando, FL | $22,209 | $10.68 |
| 20 | Little Rock, AR | $20,845 | $10.02 |
Line chef salary details
A line chef's salary ranges from $18,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $37,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a line chef's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $37,000 | $3,083 | $18 |
| 75th Percentile | $31,000 | $2,583 | $15 |
| Average | $26,651 | $2,221 | $13 |
| 25th Percentile | $22,000 | $1,833 | $11 |
| 10th Percentile | $18,000 | $1,500 | $9 |
Highest paying line chef jobs
The highest paying types of line chefs are executive chef, chef de cuisine, and private chef.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food Service Coordinator | $32,085 | $2,674 | $15.43 | 79,537 |
| Chef De Cuisine | $51,926 | $4,327 | $24.96 | 18,300 |
| Chef De Partie | $39,938 | $3,328 | $19.20 | 18,913 |
| Chef/Catering | $47,693 | $3,974 | $22.93 | 20,512 |
| Line Cook, Prep Cook | $32,982 | $2,748 | $15.86 | 164,756 |
| Pastry Chef | $44,879 | $3,740 | $21.58 | 18,844 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for line chefs, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Patti Stobaugh
Top companies hiring line chefs now:
Which companies pay line chefs the most?
Line chef salaries at Syracuse University and Dartmouth are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average line chef salary at companies like Woodfield Country Club and Catholic Health Care System are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Syracuse University | $45,043 | $21.66 |
| 2 | Dartmouth | $43,035 | $20.69 |
| 3 | Woodfield Country Club | $34,971 | $16.81 |
| 4 | Catholic Health Care System | $34,675 | $16.67 |
| 5 | Yale University | $33,920 | $16.31 |
| 6 | Brown University | $33,900 | $16.30 |
| 7 | Mount Sinai Health System | $33,846 | $16.27 |
| 8 | Highmark | $32,522 | $15.64 |
| 9 | Beaver Run Resort & Conference Center | $32,325 | $15.54 |
| 10 | Northwell Health | $31,524 | $15.16 |
| 11 | Napa County, California | $30,420 | $14.63 |
| 12 | University of Rochester | $30,041 | $14.44 |
| 13 | COUNTY OF MERCED | $30,041 | $14.44 |
| 14 | Brandywine Living | $30,038 | $14.44 |
| 15 | SHASTA COUNTY | $29,952 | $14.40 |
| 16 | Westaff | $29,635 | $14.25 |
| 17 | Trinity Health | $29,602 | $14.23 |
| 18 | Marriott International | $29,568 | $14.22 |
| 19 | Brinker International | $29,550 | $14.21 |
| 20 | Compass Group USA | $29,360 | $14.12 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Line chef salary trends
The average line chef salary has risen by $5,507 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average line chef earned $21,144 annually, but today, they earn $26,651 a year. That works out to a 24% change in pay for line chefs over the last decade.
Compare line chef salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average line chef salary over time
Compare line chef salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Line chef salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $26,700 | $12.81 | +3.5% |
| 2024 | $25,700 | $12.37 | +6.0% |
| 2023 | $24,200 | $11.63 | +5.2% |
| 2022 | $22,900 | $11.03 | +6.0% |
| 2021 | $21,600 | $10.36 | +3.9% |
Recently added line chef salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Bizzell Group | Cook Helper | Long Beach, CA | 06/28/2025 | $35,896 |
| Delano Public Schools, ISD #879 | Cook Helper | Nore, MN | 06/28/2025 | $36,209 |
| MGM Resorts | Cook Helper DIN TAI Fung-Aria | Las Vegas, NV | 06/27/2025 | $51,298 |
| Delano Public School District | Cook Helper | Delano, MN | 06/27/2025 | $36,209 |
| Compass Group USA Inc. | Helper Cook | San Antonio, TX | 06/26/2025 | $37,566 |
| Compass Group USA Inc. | Helper Cook | Rowe, MA | 06/26/2025 | $41,740 |
| St. Michael-Albertville Schools, ISD 885 | Cook Helper/Cashier School Year) | Saint Michael, MN | 06/26/2025 | $38,359 |
| Compass Group USA Inc. | Helper Cook | Carleton, MI | 06/25/2025 | $29,218 |
| Compass Group USA Inc. | Helper Cook) | New York, NY | 06/25/2025 | $58,436 |
| Trinity Health Corporation | Cooks Helper | Syracuse, NY | 06/25/2025 | $33,809 |
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