Chefs and Head Cooks Salary
BLS May 2025 median wages — with computed take-home after taxes for all 51 reporting states. Tax year 2026.
Quick answer
According to payandtaxes.com's analysis of BLS May 2025 data, the median chefs and head cooks in the US earns $62,470 per year (200,040 employed). Gross pay is highest in Rhode Island ($79,930) and lowest in Louisiana ($45,570) — but what you keep depends on the state's taxes; see the table.
Chefs and Head Cooks pay by stategross median vs take-home
| State | Median wage | After taxes | Monthly net | Kept | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chefs and Head Cooks in Rhode Island | $79,930 | $62,680 | $5,223 | 78.4% | 740 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in Hawaii | $77,360 | $58,904 | $4,909 | 76.1% | 1,240 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in Washington DC | $76,420 | $59,064 | $4,922 | 77.3% | 2,020 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in Washington | $76,010 | $62,303 | $5,192 | 82% | 5,320 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in North Dakota | $74,740 | $61,211 | $5,101 | 81.9% | 100 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in New Jersey | $74,280 | $58,528 | $4,877 | 78.8% | 9,100 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in Wyoming | $73,170 | $60,305 | $5,025 | 82.4% | 240 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in South Carolina | $71,860 | $56,229 | $4,686 | 78.2% | 2,650 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in New York | $70,670 | $55,327 | $4,611 | 78.3% | 17,430 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in Tennessee | $69,810 | $57,941 | $4,828 | 83% | 3,820 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in Massachusetts | $69,540 | $54,495 | $4,541 | 78.4% | 6,000 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in Georgia | $66,230 | $52,581 | $4,382 | 79.4% | 3,680 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in Vermont | $65,440 | $52,902 | $4,409 | 80.8% | 610 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in Colorado | $65,400 | $52,560 | $4,380 | 80.4% | 3,970 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in California | $64,500 | $52,058 | $4,338 | 80.7% | 31,670 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in Missouri | $64,480 | $51,896 | $4,325 | 80.5% | 1,750 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in Connecticut | $64,310 | $51,884 | $4,324 | 80.7% | 3,080 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in Pennsylvania | $63,860 | $51,531 | $4,294 | 80.7% | 9,170 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in Oregon | $63,600 | $48,547 | $4,046 | 76.3% | 2,510 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in New Hampshire | $63,400 | $53,122 | $4,427 | 83.8% | 1,170 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in Virginia | $63,270 | $50,194 | $4,183 | 79.3% | 3,600 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in Minnesota | $62,600 | $49,746 | $4,145 | 79.5% | 1,730 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in Alabama | $62,400 | $49,463 | $4,122 | 79.3% | 1,000 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in Nevada | $62,380 | $52,302 | $4,359 | 83.8% | 3,940 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in New Mexico | $62,250 | $50,438 | $4,203 | 81% | 770 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in Maryland | $61,590 | $49,106 | $4,092 | 79.7% | 3,220 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in Delaware | $61,440 | $48,814 | $4,068 | 79.4% | 590 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in Wisconsin | $61,300 | $49,518 | $4,127 | 80.8% | 1,860 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in North Carolina | $61,130 | $49,368 | $4,114 | 80.8% | 4,920 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in West Virginia | $61,100 | $49,260 | $4,105 | 80.6% | 350 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in Nebraska | $60,510 | $48,926 | $4,077 | 80.9% | 540 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in Michigan | $60,070 | $48,144 | $4,012 | 80.1% | 5,360 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in Arizona | $59,890 | $49,013 | $4,084 | 81.8% | 4,080 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in Utah | $59,060 | $46,977 | $3,915 | 79.5% | 1,740 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in Illinois | $58,830 | $46,683 | $3,890 | 79.4% | 8,290 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in Oklahoma | $58,540 | $47,128 | $3,927 | 80.5% | 1,430 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in Kansas | $58,390 | $46,638 | $3,886 | 79.9% | 860 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in Florida | $58,240 | $48,976 | $4,081 | 84.1% | 19,670 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in Montana | $57,470 | $46,413 | $3,868 | 80.8% | 720 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in Maine | $57,010 | $45,321 | $3,777 | 79.5% | 1,250 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in Texas | $56,080 | $47,240 | $3,937 | 84.2% | 13,270 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in Mississippi | $54,850 | $44,790 | $3,733 | 81.7% | 840 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in Ohio | $53,990 | $44,859 | $3,738 | 83.1% | 4,000 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in Alaska | $52,190 | $44,115 | $3,676 | 84.5% | 680 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in Indiana | $52,190 | $42,605 | $3,550 | 81.6% | 1,940 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in Idaho | $52,000 | $42,314 | $3,526 | 81.4% | 550 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in South Dakota | $48,470 | $41,126 | $3,427 | 84.8% | 300 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in Kentucky | $48,070 | $39,239 | $3,270 | 81.6% | 1,790 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in Iowa | $47,990 | $39,568 | $3,297 | 82.5% | 1,640 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in Arkansas | $46,170 | $37,690 | $3,141 | 81.6% | 880 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks in Louisiana | $45,570 | $37,815 | $3,151 | 83% | 1,990 |
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