Chef / Head Cook Salary
Median annual salary: $58,920 · Median hourly: $28.33 · Latest · 2026
About Chef / Head Cook pay
Head cooks and chefs run professional kitchens, balancing food cost, staff and consistency under brutal hours. Fine dining in big cities pays more, while most line work pays modestly despite the skill involved. Television glamor aside, the career rewards stamina and business sense: chefs who own or run profitable operations earn far more than employees. Passion sustains most entrants through the early low-paid years.
In weekly terms that is roughly $1,133 per week before taxes (annual ÷ 52).
View Salary by State
Frequently asked questions
What data does this page show?
Average and median salary for Chef in the United States by state. Official BLS Occupational Employment Statistics.
What does a Chef earn?
State-by-state pay bands, hourly and annual, are listed on this page.
How to raise pay in this field?
Compare top-paying states here, then weigh them against living costs.
How current are the figures?
All figures reflect 2026 and update automatically from official sources.
Where do the numbers come from?
All figures are compiled from official U.S. government public data and refreshed automatically. LifeIndexData is 100% free to use and fully independent: we are not affiliated with, sponsored by, or compensated by any bank, lender or financial institution, and advertising never influences our data or rankings.
How do I cite this page?
LifeIndexData. "Chef Salary in the United States (2026)" (2026). https://lifeindexdata.com/usa/salary/chef/
Is this financial advice?
No. All data is informational only — see our Disclaimer before making decisions.