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, education, 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): $56,665
Early Career (1-2 years): $57,218
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $57,993
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $59,420
Expert (over 8 years): $62,618
Levels
Salary
Entry Level Chef
$56,665
Intermediate Level Chef
$57,218
Senior Level Chef
$57,993
Specialist Level Chef
$59,420
Expert Level Chef
$62,618
$56,6650 yr
$57,218< 2 yrs
$57,9932-4 yrs
$59,4205-8 yrs
$62,618> 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph
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:
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:
San Jose: $74,543
San Francisco: $73,727
Oakland: $72,173
San Jose, CA$74,543
San Francisco, CA$73,727
Oakland, CA$72,173
New York, NY$68,047
Paramus, NJ$67,220
Queens Village, NY$67,217
Passaic, NJ$67,161
Bergenfield, NJ$67,155
Stamford, CT$67,025
Huntington, NY$67,001
Newark, NJ$66,564
Bridgeport, CT$66,440
Vallejo, CA$66,322
New Brunswick, NJ$66,298
Petaluma, CA$66,263
Middlesex, NJ$66,151
Somerset, NJ$66,109
Santa Cruz, CA$66,032
Boston, MA$65,672
Monterey, CA$65,464
Seattle, WA$65,329
Santa Rosa, CA$65,317
Los Angeles, CA$65,300
Juneau, AK$65,146
Washington, DC$65,081
Orange, CA$64,871
Santa Ana, CA$64,715
Long Beach, CA$64,655
Anaheim, CA$64,644
Anchorage, AK$64,614
Santa Maria, CA$64,437
Everett, WA$64,425
Danbury, CT$64,217
Bremerton, WA$64,135
Tacoma, WA$63,923
New Suffolk, NY$63,921
Sacramento, CA$63,905
Santa Barbara, CA$63,840
Trenton, NJ$63,775
San Diego, CA$63,775
Brockton, MA$63,710
Fairbanks, AK$63,565
Lompoc, CA$63,414
Lowell, MA$63,366
Ventura, CA$63,355
Nashua, NH$63,343
Stockton, CA$63,337
Modesto, CA$62,906
Poughkeepsie, NY$62,776
Olympia, WA$62,664
Kennewick, WA$62,664
New Haven, CT$62,640
Lawrence, MA$62,427
Hartford, CT$62,368
Riverside, CA$62,356
New Bedford, MA$62,297
Richland, WA$62,297
Bakersfield, CA$62,215
San Bernardino, CA$62,191
New Britain, CT$62,185
Atlantic City, NJ$62,185
New London, CT$62,161
Norwich, CT$62,144
Portsmouth, NH$62,132
Boulder, CO$62,007
Portland, OR$61,925
Worcester, MA$61,919
Minneapolis, MN$61,736
Philadelphia, PA$61,653
Honolulu, HI$61,458
Saint Paul, MN$61,430
Vineland, NJ$61,417
Providence, RI$61,245
Chicago, IL$61,074
Bellingham, WA$61,003
Springfield, MA$60,956
Baltimore, MD$60,938
Chico, CA$60,790
Pittsfield, MA$60,631
Manchester, NH$60,518
Spokane, WA$60,258
Denver, CO$60,252
Albany, NY$59,975
Troy, NY$59,951
Nassau, NY$59,888
Schenectady, NY$59,827
Wilmington, DE$59,780
Burlington, VT$59,697
Salem, OR$59,673
Portland, ME$59,490
Yakima, WA$59,431
Rochester, MN$59,248
Reno, NV$59,218
Fresno, CA$59,218
Milwaukee, WI$59,165
Detroit, MI$59,106
Ann Arbor, MI$59,096
Allentown, PA$59,088
Colorado Springs, CO$58,988
Syracuse, NY$58,958
Carson City, NV$58,958
Houston, TX$58,875
Eugene, OR$58,846
Gary, IN$58,775
Springfield, OR$58,728
Bismarck, ND$58,716
Galveston, TX$58,674
Medford, OR$58,586
Fort Collins, CO$58,562
Concord, NH$58,533
Austin, TX$58,515
Mesa, AZ$58,391
Reading, PA$58,385
Phoenix, AZ$58,379
Dallas, TX$58,361
Saint Cloud, MN$58,305
Madison, WI$58,225
Utica, NY$58,066
Rochester, NY$57,971
Des Moines, IA$57,965
Raleigh, NC$57,959
Atlanta, GA$57,871
Battle Creek, MI$57,853
Salt Lake City, UT$57,835
Lancaster, PA$57,747
Harrisburg, PA$57,664
Kansas City, MO$57,605
Champaign, IL$57,593
Kansas City, KS$57,593
Fort Worth, TX$57,587
Columbus, OH$57,577
Boca Raton, FL$57,563
Pittsburgh, PA$57,540
Richmond, VA$57,516
Indianapolis, IN$57,504
Cleveland, OH$57,498
Las Vegas, NV$57,427
Cincinnati, OH$57,427
Petersburg, VA$57,339
Huntsville, AL$57,250
Lansing, MI$57,211
Lebanon, PA$57,203
Pueblo, CO$57,197
Appleton, WI$57,179
Buffalo, NY$57,156
Dayton, OH$57,138
Racine, WI$57,126
Charlotte, NC$57,120
Saint Louis, MO$57,102
York, PA$57,067
Elkhart, IN$57,067
Gastonia, NC$57,056
Billings, MT$57,042
Beaumont, TX$57,026
Lorain, OH$57,014
Benton Harbor, MI$57,002
Toledo, OH$56,990
Binghamton, NY$56,961
Rock Hill, SC$56,955
Rockford, IL$56,925
Springfield, IL$56,901
Elyria, OH$56,896
Fargo, ND$56,896
Flagstaff, AZ$56,854
Fort Lauderdale, FL$56,819
Duluth, MN$56,783
Miami, FL$56,783
Cheyenne, WY$56,742
Grand Forks, ND$56,742
Bangor, ME$56,612
Cedar Rapids, IA$56,547
Durham, NC$56,522
Louisville, KY$56,517
Grand Rapids, MI$56,506
Hialeah, FL$56,500
Casper, WY$56,417
Scranton, PA$56,346
New Orleans, LA$56,328
Virginia Beach, VA$56,322
Akron, OH$56,293
Peoria, IL$56,216
Sarasota, FL$56,204
Nashville, TN$56,163
Omaha, NE$56,163
Green Bay, WI$56,163
Baton Rouge, LA$56,133
Charleston, SC$56,121
Jamestown, NY$56,092
Davenport, IA$56,092
Tucson, AZ$56,062
Saint Petersburg, FL$56,027
Tampa, FL$56,015
Evansville, IN$55,980
Port Arthur, TX$55,980
Bradenton, FL$55,956
Santa Fe, NM$55,850
Orlando, FL$55,743
Clearwater, FL$55,725
Canton, OH$55,601
La Crosse, WI$55,601
Albuquerque, NM$55,566
Newport News, VA$55,560
High Point, NC$55,542
Ogden, UT$55,519
Corpus Christi, TX$55,471
Norfolk, VA$55,436
Laramie, WY$55,436
Rock Island, IL$55,400
Saginaw, MI$55,389
Jacksonville, FL$55,383
Salisbury, NC$55,371
Boise, ID$55,359
Moline, IL$55,329
Fort Myers, FL$55,312
Memphis, TN$55,300
Tulsa, OK$55,270
Waterloo, IA$55,235
Spartanburg, SC$55,176
Lincoln, NE$55,146
Fort Wayne, IN$55,134
Provo, UT$55,128
Cedar Falls, IA$55,058
San Antonio, TX$55,034
Greensboro, NC$55,010
South Bend, IN$55,004
Savannah, GA$54,939
Muskegon, MI$54,916
Birmingham, AL$54,910
Winston Salem, NC$54,881
Lake Charles, LA$54,738
Anderson, IN$54,727
Lexington, KY$54,709
Augusta, GA$54,691
Greenville, SC$54,691
Lima, OH$54,644
Wichita, KS$54,638
Tuscaloosa, AL$54,638
Columbia, SC$54,585
Springfield, OH$54,573
Asheville, NC$54,478
Bloomington, IN$54,437
Knoxville, TN$54,224
Shreveport, LA$54,218
Wilmington, NC$54,142
Roanoke, VA$54,142
Topeka, KS$54,035
Frankfort, KY$54,029
Oklahoma City, OK$53,988
Chillicothe, OH$53,964
Longview, TX$53,958
Melbourne, FL$53,952
Sioux Falls, SD$53,858
Mobile, AL$53,852
Terre Haute, IN$53,828
Altoona, PA$53,793
Amarillo, TX$53,751
Killeen, TX$53,734
Fayetteville, AR$53,686
Chattanooga, TN$53,669
Sioux City, IA$53,616
Idaho Falls, ID$53,604
Lynchburg, VA$53,556
Gainesville, FL$53,480
Portsmouth, OH$53,450
Little Rock, AR$53,438
Lafayette, LA$53,415
Youngstown, OH$53,415
Daytona Beach, FL$53,379
Clarksville, TN$53,373
Pensacola, FL$53,367
Temple, TX$53,363
Hopkinsville, KY$53,190
Erie, PA$53,178
Florence, SC$53,155
Charleston, WV$53,060
Great Falls, MT$53,030
Macon, GA$52,948
Tallahassee, FL$52,942
Fayetteville, NC$52,930
Waco, TX$52,918
Helena, MT$52,877
Pine Bluff, AR$52,854
Vincennes, IN$52,782
Lubbock, TX$52,759
Alamogordo, NM$52,723
Twin Falls, ID$52,670
Rapid City, SD$52,652
Jackson, MS$52,546
Huntington, WV$52,542
Greenville, MS$52,540
Parkersburg, WV$52,480
Montgomery, AL$52,469
Wichita Falls, TX$52,410
Springfield, MO$52,410
Biloxi, MS$52,380
Monroe, LA$52,321
Johnstown, PA$52,280
Sumter, SC$52,256
Columbus, GA$52,250
Pascagoula, MS$52,138
Abilene, TX$52,138
Kingsport, TN$51,984
Albany, GA$51,984
Gulfport, MS$51,967
Alexandria, LA$51,772
Fort Smith, AR$51,624
El Paso, TX$51,464
Las Cruces, NM$51,198
Harlingen, TX$51,048
Pocatello, ID$51,039
Florence, AL$50,962
Brownsville, TX$50,950
Mcallen, TX$50,826
Dothan, AL$50,743
Columbus, MS$50,392
Altus, OK$50,117
Lawton, OK$50,005
Pierre, SD$49,792
What Skills Can Increase a Chef's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Presentation (Mentioned in 8.53% Job Postings): Presentation conveys information from a speaker to an audience. Presentations are typically demonstrations, introduction, lecture, or speech meant to inform, persuade, inspire, motivate, build goodwill, or present a new idea/product.
Food Service (Mentioned in 2.44% Job Postings): The foodservice or catering industry includes the businesses, institutions, and companies which prepare meals outside the home.
Food Handling (Mentioned in 1.35% Job Postings): Food Handling means one or more operations of food production, manufacture, offering or displaying for sale, storage, preserving, wrapping, transportation, delivery, importation, exportation, or the licensing or approval for any of such activities.
See More Skills
Skills
Demand Percentage
Presentation
8.53%
Food Service
2.44%
Food Handling
1.35%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay.
Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Chef's salary.
Instructing: Can increase your salary by up to 13%.
Production Orders: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
Customer Satisfaction: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
Skill
Salary
Salary % Increase
Instructing
$66,783
13%
Production Orders
$66,192
12%
Customer Satisfaction
$65,601
11%
Coaching
$64,419
9%
SOP
$64,419
9%
Procurement
$64,419
9%
Get Latest Data
Chef Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise
Chef salary potential scales significantly with company size.
Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $64,402.
While startup companies pay approximate $54,517.
Chef Salary by Company Size
Company Size
Employees
Average Salary
Startup
1~50
$54,517
Growth Stage
51~500
$57,646
Established
501~5000
$62,205
Enterprise
5000+
$64,402
Chef Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Chef roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 80% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Healthcare and Insurance
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 45% above the average.
In contrast, Chef positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit or Retail & Wholesale typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Chef as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Chef
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare
$85,695
$41.0
45%
Insurance
$79,785
$38.0
35%
MFG Durable
$65,010
$31.0
10%
How Education impacts a Chef's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Cheves enter the field with a No Diploma degree,
higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.
According to our 100% employer-reported salary data,
the median salary for a Chef with a No Diploma is between
$55,899
and $61,197).
Chef Salaries by Degree Level
Typical Education for Chef
No Diploma1.8%
High School14.5%
Associates52.7%
Bachelors27.3%
Masters3.6%
Doctorate3.6%
view as table
Degree Level
% of user with this level of education
No Diploma
1.8%
High School
14.5%
Associates
52.7%
Bachelors
27.3%
Masters
3.6%
Doctorate
3.6%
view as graph
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.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on July 01, 2026
$51,683
Average$59,100/year
$69,814
$4,307
Average$4,925/month
$5,818
$994
Average$1,137/week
$1,343
$25
Average$28/hour
$34
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$69,814
$5,818
$1,343
$34
Average
$59,100
$4,925
$1,137
$28
25th Percentile
$51,683
$4,307
$994
$25
Chef Salary Growth & Career Path
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
$87,208 - a projected growth of
48%
over your current level.
Salaries for a Chef can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $51,751 in 2023
to around $50,812 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Chef salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Chef Over Time
2022
$???
2023
$51,751
2024
$51,465
2025
$50,812
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$51,751
2024
$51,465
2025
$50,812
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Chef
Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers
If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.
Compensation Planning
Common company salaries for Chef
Here are companies hiring for Chef and their salaries, click below for more details.
N
$97,099/per year
New York Police Department
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$95,962/per year
State of New York - Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$94,615/per year
US Department of Transportation
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$93,141/per year
US General Services Administration
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
L
$92,342/per year
Los Angeles County
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
D
$92,011/per year
Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Prisons
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$91,967/per year
US Department of Commerce
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$91,755/per year
US Department of Energy
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
F
$91,673/per year
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
N
$90,276/per year
Naval Sea Systems Command
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
T
$88,975/per year
The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$88,721/per year
San Diego County
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
T
$88,664/per year
The TTB
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
L
$87,569/per year
Lutheran Services
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
M
$85,066/per year
Maryland Inc
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$83,780/per year
State University of New York
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
N
$82,969/per year
New York State
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
P
$82,703/per year
Puerto Rico Department of Education
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$80,526/per year
US Central Command
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
H
$80,286/per year
Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
A
$79,270/per year
Air Force Reserve
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
A
$78,505/per year
American Automobile Association (AAA)
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$76,678/per year
State of Florida - Department of Health
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
N
$75,183/per year
New York State Department
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$75,106/per year
State University System of Florida
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
Find Your Next Chef Job
Ready to take the next step in your career?
Browse thousands of current Chef job openings on our job board.
Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.
For Employees
Get a Salary Increase
Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.
Search Job Openings
Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.
For Employers
Adjust Employee Salary
Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.
Price My Industry Jobs
Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.
FAQ about Chef
1. Where can a Chef earn the most?
A Chef's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer.
According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a Chef earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Chef is $74,543.
2. What is the highest pay for Chef?
The highest pay for Chef is $79,569.
3. What is the lowest pay for Chef?
The lowest pay for Chef is $44,930.
4. What are the responsibilities of Chef?
Oversees kitchen operations, including menu development, purchasing, inventory, cost control, and sanitation. Creates and updates menus that will appeal to customers. Develops and tests new recipes. Monitors meal quality and guest satisfaction. May require an associate degree. Formal training at an accredited culinary institute is required or equivalent experience. Typically reports to an executive chef. Supervises a group of primarily para-professional level staffs. May also be a level above a supervisor within high volume administrative/production environments. Makes day-to-day decisions within or for a group/small department. Has some authority for personnel actions. Typically requires 3-5 years experience in the related area as an individual contributor. Thorough knowledge of functional area and department processes.
5. What industry pays the highest salary for Chef?
The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Chef roles,
with salaries approximately 45% above the market median.
Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2026 Compensation Trend
Recruit with AI
AI-Powered HR
