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Culinary arts instructor salary
Average culinary arts instructor salary
$45,296
Understanding the Culinary Arts Instructor Salary
A Culinary Arts Instructor typically earns around $45,296 annually, translating to approximately $22 per hour. This salary can vary based on experience, location, and the educational institution. For instance, instructors in metropolitan areas or prestigious culinary schools may command higher wages.
Factors influencing salary include:
- Location: States like California and New York often offer higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for culinary education.
- Experience: Instructors with more years in the industry or advanced degrees may earn significantly more.
- Type of Institution: Private culinary schools may provide higher salaries compared to community colleges.
As the culinary industry continues to grow, so does the need for skilled instructors. This role not only offers a competitive salary but also the satisfaction of shaping the next generation of chefs.
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Where can a Culinary Arts Instructor earn more?
Culinary arts instructor salary estimates from across the web
Average culinary arts instructor salary by state
The average culinary arts instructor salary in Massachusetts, Washington, and California are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average culinary arts instructor salary states are Kansas, Nevada, and Louisiana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for culinary arts instructors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $60,297 | $28.99 |
| 2 | California | $62,483 | $30.04 |
| 3 | Colorado | $54,132 | $26.02 |
| 4 | Oregon | $53,814 | $25.87 |
| 5 | New York | $57,696 | $27.74 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $54,361 | $26.14 |
| 7 | Washington | $62,548 | $30.07 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $62,864 | $30.22 |
| 9 | North Dakota | $53,043 | $25.50 |
| 10 | Minnesota | $51,372 | $24.70 |
| 11 | Iowa | $49,504 | $23.80 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | $52,131 | $25.06 |
| 13 | Texas | $48,460 | $23.30 |
| 14 | Mississippi | $47,173 | $22.68 |
| 15 | Michigan | $46,260 | $22.24 |
| 16 | Wyoming | $45,096 | $21.68 |
| 17 | Hawaii | $52,184 | $25.09 |
| 18 | North Carolina | $46,215 | $22.22 |
| 19 | Vermont | $49,302 | $23.70 |
| 20 | Delaware | $47,863 | $23.01 |
| 21 | Nebraska | $46,868 | $22.53 |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $46,601 | $22.40 |
| 23 | Maine | $47,064 | $22.63 |
| 24 | New Hampshire | $47,343 | $22.76 |
| 25 | Arizona | $44,009 | $21.16 |
| 26 | District of Columbia | $51,560 | $24.79 |
| 27 | Alabama | $43,818 | $21.07 |
| 28 | Montana | $41,536 | $19.97 |
| 29 | Indiana | $45,003 | $21.64 |
| 30 | West Virginia | $42,444 | $20.41 |
| 31 | South Dakota | $42,569 | $20.47 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $43,249 | $20.79 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $42,982 | $20.66 |
| 34 | Connecticut | $44,825 | $21.55 |
| 35 | Utah | $41,170 | $19.79 |
| 36 | Virginia | $39,444 | $18.96 |
| 37 | Nevada | $38,362 | $18.44 |
| 38 | Ohio | $41,115 | $19.77 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $40,162 | $19.31 |
| 40 | Maryland | $41,299 | $19.86 |
| 41 | Georgia | $37,767 | $18.16 |
| 42 | Florida | $39,502 | $18.99 |
| 43 | Pennsylvania | $40,299 | $19.37 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $37,929 | $18.24 |
| 45 | Missouri | $41,152 | $19.78 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $34,652 | $16.66 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $41,160 | $19.79 |
| 48 | Kansas | $38,582 | $18.55 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $38,618 | $18.57 |
| 50 | Illinois | $38,759 | $18.63 |
| 51 | Idaho | $36,398 | $17.50 |
Highest paying cities for culinary arts instructors
The highest-paying cities for culinary arts instructors are Oakland, CA, Bellingham, WA, and Anchorage, AK.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oakland, CA | $66,106 | $31.78 |
| 2 | Bellingham, WA | $63,305 | $30.44 |
| 3 | Anchorage, AK | $60,393 | $29.04 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $57,734 | $27.76 |
| 5 | Denver, CO | $54,237 | $26.08 |
| 6 | Portland, OR | $53,953 | $25.94 |
| 7 | Fond du Lac, WI | $52,495 | $25.24 |
| 8 | Des Moines, IA | $49,198 | $23.65 |
| 9 | Austin, TX | $48,692 | $23.41 |
| 10 | Roseville, MI | $46,533 | $22.37 |
| 11 | Bangor, ME | $46,489 | $22.35 |
| 12 | Indianapolis, IN | $44,757 | $21.52 |
| 13 | Tucson, AZ | $43,740 | $21.03 |
| 14 | Palm Harbor, FL | $39,743 | $19.11 |
| 15 | Hamilton, OH | $39,694 | $19.08 |
| 16 | Richmond, VA | $39,371 | $18.93 |
| 17 | Chicago, IL | $38,886 | $18.70 |
| 18 | Las Vegas, NV | $37,946 | $18.24 |
| 19 | Gainesville, GA | $37,852 | $18.20 |
Culinary arts instructor salary details
A culinary arts instructor's salary ranges from $34,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $60,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a culinary arts instructor's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $60,000 | $5,000 | $29 |
| 75th Percentile | $52,000 | $4,333 | $25 |
| Average | $45,296 | $3,775 | $22 |
| 25th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
| 10th Percentile | $34,000 | $2,833 | $16 |
Highest paying culinary arts instructor jobs
The highest paying types of culinary arts instructors are adjunct faculty, instructional supervisor, and technical instructor.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teacher-In-Training | $37,214 | $3,101 | $17.89 | 132,725 |
| Adjunct Faculty | $83,069 | $6,922 | $39.94 | 26,791 |
| Instructor, Adjunct Faculty | $52,225 | $4,352 | $25.11 | 37,739 |
| Instructor, Faculty | $57,553 | $4,796 | $27.67 | 38,774 |
| Technical Instructor | $68,086 | $5,674 | $32.73 | 103,399 |
| Culinary Internship | $31,368 | $2,614 | $15.08 | 93,844 |
Top companies hiring culinary arts instructors now:
Which companies pay culinary arts instructors the most?
Culinary arts instructor salaries at Moraine Park Technical College and Kern Community College District are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average culinary arts instructor salary at companies like Job Corps and The Culinary Institute of America are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Moraine Park Technical College | $61,984 | $29.80 |
| 2 | Kern Community College District | $59,812 | $28.76 |
| 3 | Job Corps | $57,301 | $27.55 |
| 4 | The Culinary Institute of America | $57,216 | $27.51 |
| 5 | National Louis University | $54,973 | $26.43 |
| 6 | Broward County Public Schools | $53,867 | $25.90 |
| 7 | Hyatt Hotels | $52,491 | $25.24 |
| 8 | Cincinnati State | $51,972 | $24.99 |
| 9 | Dorsey Schools | $51,202 | $24.62 |
| 10 | University of Alaska | $49,344 | $23.72 |
| 11 | Los Angeles Trade-Technical College | $49,217 | $23.66 |
| 12 | Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute | $47,899 | $23.03 |
| 13 | Colorado State Express | $47,092 | $22.64 |
| 14 | D2S | $47,092 | $22.64 |
| 15 | Pike Township Fire Dept | $47,092 | $22.64 |
| 16 | Virginia's Community Colleges | $46,996 | $22.59 |
| 17 | Galileo | $46,636 | $22.42 |
| 18 | Guilford Technical Community College | $45,851 | $22.04 |
| 19 | Central Community College | $45,819 | $22.03 |
| 20 | Blackberry Farm | $45,595 | $21.92 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Culinary arts instructor salary trends
The average culinary arts instructor salary has risen by $5,562 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average culinary arts instructor earned $39,734 annually, but today, they earn $45,296 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for culinary arts instructors over the last decade.
Compare culinary arts instructor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average culinary arts instructor salary over time
Compare culinary arts instructor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Culinary arts instructor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $45,300 | $21.78 | +1.8% |
| 2025 | $44,500 | $21.39 | +2.7% |
| 2024 | $43,300 | $20.80 | +2.9% |
| 2023 | $42,000 | $20.20 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $41,300 | $19.83 | +2.3% |
Recently added culinary arts instructor salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Arkansas Community College | Instructor, Culinary Arts | Bono, AR | 06/30/2025 | $52,175 |
| Pico de Gallo | Instructor, Culinary | Quincy, FL | 06/29/2025 | $45,914 |
| Glendale Community College | Culinary Arts Instructor | Glendale, CA | 06/29/2025 | $70,667 |
| Shawsheen Valley Technical High School | Long Term Substitute/Culinary Arts-Hospitality Management | Billerica, MA | 06/28/2025 | $58,697 |
| Madison College | Artisanal Modern Meat Butchery/Culinary Arts Instructor | Madison, WI | 06/27/2025 | $62,000 |
| Westchester Community College | Instructor of Culinary Arts and Management (Tenure Track)-Westchester Community College | Valhalla, NY | 06/27/2025 | $75,170 |
| University of North Dakota | Culinary Corner Instructor | Grand Forks, ND | 06/26/2025 | $25,044 |
| Alternatives | Culinary Arts Program Instructor | Billings, MT | 06/25/2025 | $37,566 |
| State of Colorado | Cdoc State Teacher I-Culinary Arts Instructor | Boone, CO | 06/20/2025 | $70,140 |
| Feeding Tampa Bay | Freshforce Student-Culinary Arts Program | Tampa, FL | 06/19/2025 | $29,218 |
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