United States · Pay by job · Food Service
Chef and Head Cook salary and take-home pay
The typical US chef and head cook earns $62,470 a year, or $30.03 an hour (BLS, May 2025). In Texas, where the median for this job is $56,080, a single filer keeps about $47,240 a year after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare.
BLS title: Chefs and Head Cooks (SOC 35-1011). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.
How much does a chef and head cook earn?
| Percentile | Bar | A year | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $37,900 | $18.22 | |
| 25th | $48,440 | $23.29 | |
| Median | $62,470 | $30.03 | |
| 75th | $78,750 | $37.86 | |
| 90th | $98,560 | $47.39 |
The middle half of people in this job earn $48,440 to $78,750 a year, and about 200,040 people do it across the US (BLS, May 2025).
Take-home pay tool
Chef and Head Cook · Texas · single · median
$47,240.28 a year after tax
$3,936.69 a month · $1,816.93 a paycheck (every two weeks)
| Pay before tax | $56,080.00 |
|---|---|
| Federal income tax | −$4,549.60 |
| Social Security and Medicare | −$4,290.12 |
| Texas tax and payroll contributions | none |
| Take-home pay | $47,240.28 |
Pay: the median for this job in Texas, $56,080 a year (BLS). One job, standard deduction, nothing taken before tax, the year’s tax spread over 26 paychecks.
What does a chef and head cook take home at each pay point?
A single filer on the national figures, paid every two weeks, with nothing taken before tax:
| Pay a year | Texas | California | New York | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $37,900 | $32,633 | $31,676 | $30,988 |
| 25th | $48,440 | $41,102 | $39,586 | $38,842 |
| Median | $62,470 | $52,375 | $49,841 | $49,297 |
| 75th | $78,750 | $64,231 | $60,242 | $60,204 |
| 90th | $98,560 | $78,167 | $72,109 | $72,949 |
Take-home after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax for 2026. New York is outside New York City.
Where does a chef and head cook keep the most after tax?
Our 19 states, ranked by take-home pay on each state’s own median for this job (single filer). Only these 19 states have take-home figures so far.
| Rank | State | Median pay | Take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $76,010 | $61,249 |
| 2 | Wyoming | $73,170 | $60,305 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $74,280 | $58,027 |
| 4 | Tennessee | $69,810 | $57,941 |
| 5 | New York | $70,670 | $54,991 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $63,400 | $53,122 |
| 7 | Georgia | $66,230 | $52,839 |
| 8 | Nevada | $62,380 | $52,302 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $63,860 | $51,486 |
| 10 | California | $64,500 | $51,324 |
| 11 | Virginia | $63,270 | $50,194 |
| 12 | North Carolina | $61,130 | $49,368 |
| 13 | Florida | $58,240 | $48,976 |
| 14 | Michigan | $60,070 | $48,144 |
| 15 | Texas | $56,080 | $47,240 |
| 16 | Illinois | $58,830 | $46,683 |
| 17 | Ohio | $53,990 | $44,520 |
| 18 | Alaska | $52,190 | $43,854 |
| 19 | South Dakota | $48,470 | $41,126 |
How much does a chef and head cook earn in each state?
| State | Median pay | People in the job | Take-home (single) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $62,400 | 1,000 | not yet |
| Alaska | $52,190 | 680 | $43,854 (#18) |
| Arizona | $59,890 | 4,080 | not yet |
| Arkansas | $46,170 | 880 | not yet |
| California | $64,500 | 31,670 | $51,324 (#10) |
| Colorado | $65,400 | 3,970 | not yet |
| Connecticut | $64,310 | 3,080 | not yet |
| Delaware | $61,440 | 590 | not yet |
| District of Columbia | $76,420 | 2,020 | not yet |
| Florida | $58,240 | 19,670 | $48,976 (#13) |
| Georgia | $66,230 | 3,680 | $52,839 (#7) |
| Hawaii | $77,360 | 1,240 | not yet |
| Idaho | $52,000 | 550 | not yet |
| Illinois | $58,830 | 8,290 | $46,683 (#16) |
| Indiana | $52,190 | 1,940 | not yet |
| Iowa | $47,990 | 1,640 | not yet |
| Kansas | $58,390 | 860 | not yet |
| Kentucky | $48,070 | 1,790 | not yet |
| Louisiana | $45,570 | 1,990 | not yet |
| Maine | $57,010 | 1,250 | not yet |
| Maryland | $61,590 | 3,220 | not yet |
| Massachusetts | $69,540 | 6,000 | not yet |
| Michigan | $60,070 | 5,360 | $48,144 (#14) |
| Minnesota | $62,600 | 1,730 | not yet |
| Mississippi | $54,850 | 840 | not yet |
| Missouri | $64,480 | 1,750 | not yet |
| Montana | $57,470 | 720 | not yet |
| Nebraska | $60,510 | 540 | not yet |
| Nevada | $62,380 | 3,940 | $52,302 (#8) |
| New Hampshire | $63,400 | 1,170 | $53,122 (#6) |
| New Jersey | $74,280 | 9,100 | $58,027 (#3) |
| New Mexico | $62,250 | 770 | not yet |
| New York | $70,670 | 17,430 | $54,991 (#5) |
| North Carolina | $61,130 | 4,920 | $49,368 (#12) |
| North Dakota | $74,740 | 100 | not yet |
| Ohio | $53,990 | 4,000 | $44,520 (#17) |
| Oklahoma | $58,540 | 1,430 | not yet |
| Oregon | $63,600 | 2,510 | not yet |
| Pennsylvania | $63,860 | 9,170 | $51,486 (#9) |
| Rhode Island | $79,930 | 740 | not yet |
| South Carolina | $71,860 | 2,650 | not yet |
| South Dakota | $48,470 | 300 | $41,126 (#19) |
| Tennessee | $69,810 | 3,820 | $57,941 (#4) |
| Texas | $56,080 | 13,270 | $47,240 (#15) |
| Utah | $59,060 | 1,740 | not yet |
| Vermont | $65,440 | 610 | not yet |
| Virginia | $63,270 | 3,600 | $50,194 (#11) |
| Washington | $76,010 | 5,320 | $61,249 (#1) |
| West Virginia | $61,100 | 350 | not yet |
| Wisconsin | $61,300 | 1,860 | not yet |
| Wyoming | $73,170 | 240 | $60,305 (#2) |
Median yearly pay for this job in each state, from BLS. Take-home and its rank are for the 19 states with a take-home engine so far. Each linked state shows its highest-paying jobs after tax.
What is the job outlook for a chef and head cook?
BLS expects jobs as a chef and head cook to grow 6.6% from 2025 to 2035, with about 25,200 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).
- Job growth, 2025 to 2035
- +6.6%
- Openings a year
- about 25,200
- Usual education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- 5 years or more
- On-the-job training
- None
What do similar jobs pay?
The 10 food service jobs closest in pay to a chef and head cook:
- Private Household Cook median $47,940
- Food Service Supervisor median $44,080
- Other Cook median $37,690
- Institution and Cafeteria Cook median $37,450
- Restaurant Cook median $37,390
- Short Order Cook median $35,880
- Other Food Service Worker median $35,840
- Nonrestaurant Food Server median $35,360
- Food Preparation Worker median $35,320
- Waiter and Waitress median $35,230
Every job in the group: Food Service jobs. Not sure which job suits you? Try the free career test.
What else can I work out?
- Your paycheck on $62,470, with any pay schedule, 401(k) or HSA.
- Hourly to salary: $30.03 an hour as a yearly salary.
- Your 2026 tax refund on $62,470, with the new deductions for tips and overtime.
Where do these figures come from?
Pay is the BLS estimate for all employers in May 2025 (the latest), and the outlook is from BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Your own pay depends on your employer, area and experience. Take-home is our estimate for 2026: one job, the standard deduction, nothing taken before tax, from the same engine as our paycheck calculator.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics tables (BLS); Employment Projections tables (BLS). This site is independent and not part of the BLS.
Questions about chef and head cook pay
How much does a chef and head cook make an hour?
The median is $30.03 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The middle half earn $23.29 to $37.86, and the top 10% earn $47.39 or more.
Which state pays a chef and head cook the most?
Among the 50 states and DC, Rhode Island has the highest median for this job: $79,930 a year (BLS). After tax, of the 19 states we cover, Washington leaves the most: $61,249 a year for a single filer on its median of $76,010.
What is a chef and head cook’s take-home pay?
On the national median of $62,470, a single filer keeps about $52,375 a year in Texas (no state income tax), $49,841 in California and $49,297 in New York outside New York City, after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax. Pick your state in the tool above.
What education do you need to be a chef and head cook?
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the usual way in, with 5 years or more of work experience in a related job and no on-the-job training once hired.
Is the number of chef and head cook jobs growing?
BLS expects jobs as a chef and head cook to grow 6.6% from 2025 to 2035, with about 25,200 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).