What are the main factors that influence a Chef's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change a Chef's salary?

A Chef's salary grows with experience: starting around $57,319 for beginners, reaching about $58,683 at mid-level, and approach $63,335 for experts.

What are the highest paying states for a Chef?

Chef salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Chef roles are District of Columbia $65,401, California $65,153, Massachusetts $64,285. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Chef roles make?

Salaries for Chef level roles vary by specialization: Head Chef: $87,200; Executive Chef: $87,188; Development Chef: $82,600; Chef Consultant: $76,875; Chef Boulanger: $69,500.

Chef Salary in Delaware

How much does a Chef make in Delaware?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Chef in Delaware is $59,819 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $29.

However, a Chef's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $80,275
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $52,204 to $70,526
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $45,270

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Chef Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$70,526	$5,877	$1,356	$34
Average	$59,819	$4,985	$1,150	$29
25th Percentile	$52,204	$4,350	$1,004	$25

You may get higher pay by adjusting the following factors:

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Check out Chef Job Openings in Delaware

Cook Chef

Epic - Wilmington, DE

Head Chef

WDZ LLC - Rehoboth Beach, DE

Sous Chef

Capano Management Company - Wilmington, DE

Executive Chef

Compass Group - Winterthur, DE

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Key Factors That Influence Chef Salaries

A Chef's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Chef Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Chef's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $57,319
Early Career (1-2 years): $57,887
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $58,683
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $60,139
Expert (over 8 years): $63,335

Levels	Salary
Entry Level Chef	$57,319
Intermediate Level Chef	$57,887
Senior Level Chef	$58,683
Specialist Level Chef	$60,139
Expert Level Chef	$63,335

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What Am I Worth?

How Do Chef Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Cheves. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $65,401.
California: $65,153.
Massachusetts: $64,285.

District of Columbia $65,401 California $65,153 Massachusetts $64,285 Washington $64,049 New Jersey $64,025 Alaska $63,942 Connecticut $63,127 New York $62,796

Hawaii $61,739 Rhode Island $61,243 Maryland $60,906 Minnesota $60,445 Colorado $60,268 Illinois $60,209 Oregon $59,985 Delaware $59,819

New Hampshire $59,715 Virginia $59,482 Pennsylvania $58,803 Nevada $58,461 North Dakota $58,348 Michigan $58,171 Wisconsin $58,106 Vermont $57,976

Texas $57,616 Maine $57,592 Arizona $57,557 Ohio $57,515 Georgia $56,972 Indiana $56,700 Wyoming $56,647 Utah $56,564

Iowa $56,529 Kansas $56,246 Louisiana $56,163 North Carolina $56,133 Missouri $56,121 Florida $55,891 Montana $55,767 Nebraska $55,649

Kentucky $55,584 South Carolina $55,348 Tennessee $55,200 Idaho $55,141 New Mexico $54,710 Oklahoma $54,615 Alabama $54,267 South Dakota $53,682

Arkansas $53,363 West Virginia $53,192 Mississippi $52,678

Top Paying Cities for Cheves

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

Lincoln: $61,910
Little Creek: $61,337
Magnolia: $61,591

Lincoln, DE $61,910 Little Creek, DE $61,337 Magnolia, DE $61,591 Milford, DE $61,910 Marydel, DE $61,107 Millsboro, DE $61,910 Millville, DE $62,324 Milton, DE $61,910

Nassau, DE $61,910 Ocean View, DE $62,324 Rehoboth Beach, DE $62,324 Seaford, DE $61,260 Selbyville, DE $62,324 Smyrna, DE $61,036 Viola, DE $61,591 Woodside, DE $61,414

Bear, DE $60,587 Newark, DE $60,611 Claymont, DE $60,658 Delaware City, DE $60,611 Hockessin, DE $60,658 Kirkwood, DE $60,611 Middletown, DE $60,912 Montchanin, DE $60,658

New Castle, DE $60,658 Odessa, DE $60,995 Port Penn, DE $60,445 Rockland, DE $60,658 Saint Georges, DE $60,611 Townsend, DE $60,906 Winterthur, DE $60,658 Lewes, DE $61,910

Wilmington, DE $60,658 Dover, DE $61,308 Dover Afb, DE $61,449 Bethany Beach, DE $62,324 Bethel, DE $61,260 Bridgeville, DE $61,910 Camden Wyoming, DE $61,373 Cheswold, DE $61,166

Clayton, DE $61,012 Dagsboro, DE $62,324 Delmar, DE $61,260 Ellendale, DE $61,910 Felton, DE $61,910 Fenwick Island, DE $62,324 Frankford, DE $62,324 Frederica, DE $61,910

Georgetown, DE $61,910 Greenwood, DE $61,910 Harbeson, DE $61,910 Harrington, DE $61,910 Hartly, DE $60,983 Houston, DE $61,910 Kenton, DE $61,012 Laurel, DE $61,260

Yorklyn, DE $60,658

Chef Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Chef's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on January 01, 2026

$52,204

Average $59,819/year

$70,526

$4,350

Average $4,985/month

$5,877

$1,004

Average $1,150/week

$1,356

$25

Average $29/hour

$34

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$70,526	$5,877	$1,356	$34
Average	$59,819	$4,985	$1,150	$29
25th Percentile	$52,204	$4,350	$1,004	$25

Chef Salary Growth & Career Path

Chef

Executive Chef

For a Chef, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the Executive Chef role. This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to $88,295 - a projected growth of 48% over your current level.

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