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

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

What industry pays the highest salary for Line Chef?

The Pharmaceuticals industry offers the highest average compensation for Line Chef roles, with salaries approximately 30% above the market median.

How does experience change A Line Chef's salary?

A Line Chef's salary grows with experience: starting around $36,095 for beginners, reaching about $36,945 at mid-level, and approach $38,941 for experts.

What are the highest paying states for a Line Chef?

Line Chef salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Line Chef roles are District of Columbia $40,404, California $40,250, Massachusetts $39,714. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Line Chef roles make?

Salaries for Line Chef level roles vary by specialization: Development Chef: $92,100; Executive Chef: $87,208; Pastry Chef: $69,623; Chef: $59,100; Banquet Chef: $59,100.

How do different companies affect a Line Chef's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Line Chef roles. Large, established industry leaders like C R Bard Inc ($128,509) and Henry Schein Canada ($124,697) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $82,041.

Line Chef Salary in the United States

How much does a Line Chef make in the United States?

As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Line Chef in the United States is $36,492 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $18.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $44,103
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $32,409 to $40,476
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $28,691

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Line Chef Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$40,476	$3,373	$778	$19
Average	$36,492	$3,041	$702	$18
25th Percentile	$32,409	$2,701	$623	$16

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Check out Line Chef Job Openings in the United States

Line Chef

Westwood Country Club - Rocky River, OH

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Scribe Cpas - Clayton, OH

Chef or Line Cook

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Barr Enterprises LLC - Canton, OH

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Key Factors That Influence Line Chef Salaries

A Line 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 Line Chef Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Line 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): $36,095
Early Career (1-2 years): $36,378
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $36,945
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $37,790
Expert (over 8 years): $38,941

Levels	Salary
Entry Level Line Chef	$36,095
Intermediate Level Line Chef	$36,378
Senior Level Line Chef	$36,945
Specialist Level Line Chef	$37,790
Expert Level Line Chef	$38,941

View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

How Do Line 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 Line Cheves. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $40,404.
California: $40,250.
Massachusetts: $39,714.

District of Columbia $40,404 California $40,250 Massachusetts $39,714 Washington $39,568 New Jersey $39,553 Alaska $39,502 Connecticut $38,999 New York $38,794

Hawaii $38,141 Rhode Island $37,835 Maryland $37,627 Minnesota $37,342 Colorado $37,232 Illinois $37,196 Oregon $37,057 Delaware $36,955

New Hampshire $36,891 Virginia $36,747 Pennsylvania $36,327 Nevada $36,116 North Dakota $36,047 Michigan $35,937 Wisconsin $35,897 Vermont $35,817

Texas $35,594 Maine $35,579 Arizona $35,558 Ohio $35,532 Georgia $35,196 Indiana $35,028 Wyoming $34,996 Utah $34,944

Iowa $34,923 Kansas $34,747 Louisiana $34,696 North Carolina $34,678 Missouri $34,671 Florida $34,528 Montana $34,452 Nebraska $34,379

Kentucky $34,339 South Carolina $34,193 Tennessee $34,101 Idaho $34,065 New Mexico $33,799 Oklahoma $33,740 Alabama $33,525 South Dakota $33,164

Arkansas $32,967 West Virginia $32,861 Mississippi $32,543

Top Paying Cities for Line 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:

San Jose: $46,027
San Francisco: $45,523
Oakland: $44,564

San Jose, CA $46,027

San Francisco, CA $45,523

Oakland, CA $44,564

New York, NY $42,016

Paramus, NJ $41,505

Queens Village, NY $41,503

Passaic, NJ $41,469

Bergenfield, NJ $41,466

Stamford, CT $41,385

Huntington, NY $41,370

Newark, NJ $41,101

Bridgeport, CT $41,024

Vallejo, CA $40,951

New Brunswick, NJ $40,936

Petaluma, CA $40,914

Middlesex, NJ $40,845

Somerset, NJ $40,820

Santa Cruz, CA $40,772

Boston, MA $40,550

Monterey, CA $40,421

Seattle, WA $40,338

Santa Rosa, CA $40,331

Los Angeles, CA $40,320

Juneau, AK $40,225

Washington, DC $40,185

Orange, CA $40,055

Santa Ana, CA $39,958

Long Beach, CA $39,922

Anaheim, CA $39,915

Anchorage, AK $39,896

Santa Maria, CA $39,787

Everett, WA $39,780

Danbury, CT $39,651

Bremerton, WA $39,601

Tacoma, WA $39,469

New Suffolk, NY $39,469

Sacramento, CA $39,458

Santa Barbara, CA $39,418

Trenton, NJ $39,378

San Diego, CA $39,378

Brockton, MA $39,338

Fairbanks, AK $39,249

Lompoc, CA $39,156

Lowell, MA $39,126

Ventura, CA $39,119

Nashua, NH $39,112

Stockton, CA $39,108

Modesto, CA $38,842

Poughkeepsie, NY $38,761

Olympia, WA $38,692

Kennewick, WA $38,692

New Haven, CT $38,678

Lawrence, MA $38,546

Hartford, CT $38,510

Riverside, CA $38,502

New Bedford, MA $38,466

Richland, WA $38,466

Bakersfield, CA $38,415

San Bernardino, CA $38,400

New Britain, CT $38,397

Atlantic City, NJ $38,397

New London, CT $38,382

Norwich, CT $38,371

Portsmouth, NH $38,364

Boulder, CO $38,286

Portland, OR $38,236

Worcester, MA $38,232

Minneapolis, MN $38,119

Philadelphia, PA $38,068

Honolulu, HI $37,948

Saint Paul, MN $37,930

Vineland, NJ $37,922

Providence, RI $37,816

Chicago, IL $37,711

Bellingham, WA $37,667

Springfield, MA $37,638

Baltimore, MD $37,627

Chico, CA $37,535

Pittsfield, MA $37,437

Manchester, NH $37,368

Spokane, WA $37,207

Denver, CO $37,203

Albany, NY $37,032

Troy, NY $37,017

Nassau, NY $36,978

Schenectady, NY $36,941

Wilmington, DE $36,911

Burlington, VT $36,860

Salem, OR $36,846

Portland, ME $36,733

Yakima, WA $36,696

Rochester, MN $36,583

Reno, NV $36,565

Fresno, CA $36,565

Milwaukee, WI $36,532

Detroit, MI $36,495

Ann Arbor, MI $36,489

Allentown, PA $36,484

Colorado Springs, CO $36,422

Syracuse, NY $36,404

Carson City, NV $36,404

Houston, TX $36,353

Eugene, OR $36,335

Gary, IN $36,291

Springfield, OR $36,262

Bismarck, ND $36,255

Galveston, TX $36,229

Medford, OR $36,174

Fort Collins, CO $36,160

Concord, NH $36,141

Austin, TX $36,130

Mesa, AZ $36,054

Reading, PA $36,050

Phoenix, AZ $36,047

Dallas, TX $36,036

Saint Cloud, MN $36,001

Madison, WI $35,952

Utica, NY $35,853

Rochester, NY $35,795

Des Moines, IA $35,791

Raleigh, NC $35,787

Atlanta, GA $35,733

Battle Creek, MI $35,722

Salt Lake City, UT $35,711

Lancaster, PA $35,656

Harrisburg, PA $35,605

Kansas City, MO $35,568

Champaign, IL $35,561

Kansas City, KS $35,561

Fort Worth, TX $35,558

Columbus, OH $35,551

Boca Raton, FL $35,543

Pittsburgh, PA $35,528

Richmond, VA $35,514

Indianapolis, IN $35,506

Cleveland, OH $35,503

Las Vegas, NV $35,459

Cincinnati, OH $35,459

Petersburg, VA $35,404

Huntsville, AL $35,350

Lansing, MI $35,325

Lebanon, PA $35,320

Pueblo, CO $35,317

Appleton, WI $35,306

Buffalo, NY $35,291

Dayton, OH $35,280

Racine, WI $35,273

Charlotte, NC $35,269

Saint Louis, MO $35,258

York, PA $35,236

Elkhart, IN $35,236

Gastonia, NC $35,229

Billings, MT $35,221

Beaumont, TX $35,211

Lorain, OH $35,204

Benton Harbor, MI $35,196

Toledo, OH $35,189

Binghamton, NY $35,171

Rock Hill, SC $35,167

Rockford, IL $35,149

Springfield, IL $35,134

Elyria, OH $35,131

Fargo, ND $35,131

Flagstaff, AZ $35,105

Fort Lauderdale, FL $35,083

Duluth, MN $35,061

Miami, FL $35,061

Cheyenne, WY $35,036

Grand Forks, ND $35,036

Bangor, ME $34,955

Cedar Rapids, IA $34,915

Durham, NC $34,900

Louisville, KY $34,897

Grand Rapids, MI $34,890

Hialeah, FL $34,886

Casper, WY $34,835

Scranton, PA $34,791

New Orleans, LA $34,780

Virginia Beach, VA $34,777

Akron, OH $34,758

Peoria, IL $34,711

Sarasota, FL $34,704

Nashville, TN $34,678

Omaha, NE $34,678

Green Bay, WI $34,678

Baton Rouge, LA $34,660

Charleston, SC $34,653

Jamestown, NY $34,634

Davenport, IA $34,634

Tucson, AZ $34,616

Saint Petersburg, FL $34,594

Tampa, FL $34,587

Evansville, IN $34,565

Port Arthur, TX $34,565

Bradenton, FL $34,550

Santa Fe, NM $34,485

Orlando, FL $34,419

Clearwater, FL $34,408

Canton, OH $34,331

La Crosse, WI $34,331

Albuquerque, NM $34,309

Newport News, VA $34,306

High Point, NC $34,295

Ogden, UT $34,280

Corpus Christi, TX $34,251

Norfolk, VA $34,229

Laramie, WY $34,229

Rock Island, IL $34,207

Saginaw, MI $34,200

Jacksonville, FL $34,196

Salisbury, NC $34,189

Boise, ID $34,182

Moline, IL $34,164

Fort Myers, FL $34,153

Memphis, TN $34,145

Tulsa, OK $34,127

Waterloo, IA $34,105

Spartanburg, SC $34,069

Lincoln, NE $34,050

Fort Wayne, IN $34,043

Provo, UT $34,039

Cedar Falls, IA $33,996

San Antonio, TX $33,981

Greensboro, NC $33,966

South Bend, IN $33,963

Savannah, GA $33,923

Muskegon, MI $33,908

Birmingham, AL $33,904

Winston Salem, NC $33,887

Lake Charles, LA $33,799

Anderson, IN $33,791

Lexington, KY $33,780

Augusta, GA $33,769

Greenville, SC $33,769

Lima, OH $33,740

Wichita, KS $33,737

Tuscaloosa, AL $33,737

Columbia, SC $33,704

Springfield, OH $33,696

Asheville, NC $33,638

Bloomington, IN $33,613

Knoxville, TN $33,481

Shreveport, LA $33,477

Wilmington, NC $33,430

Roanoke, VA $33,430

Topeka, KS $33,364

Frankfort, KY $33,360

Oklahoma City, OK $33,335

Chillicothe, OH $33,321

Longview, TX $33,317

Melbourne, FL $33,313

Sioux Falls, SD $33,255

Mobile, AL $33,251

Terre Haute, IN $33,237

Altoona, PA $33,215

Amarillo, TX $33,189

Killeen, TX $33,178

Fayetteville, AR $33,149

Chattanooga, TN $33,138

Sioux City, IA $33,105

Idaho Falls, ID $33,098

Lynchburg, VA $33,069

Gainesville, FL $33,021

Portsmouth, OH $33,003

Little Rock, AR $32,996

Lafayette, LA $32,981

Youngstown, OH $32,981

Daytona Beach, FL $32,959

Clarksville, TN $32,956

Pensacola, FL $32,952

Temple, TX $32,949

Hopkinsville, KY $32,843

Erie, PA $32,835

Florence, SC $32,821

Charleston, WV $32,762

Great Falls, MT $32,744

Macon, GA $32,693

Tallahassee, FL $32,689

Fayetteville, NC $32,682

Waco, TX $32,675

Helena, MT $32,649

Pine Bluff, AR $32,635

Vincennes, IN $32,591

Lubbock, TX $32,576

Alamogordo, NM $32,554

Twin Falls, ID $32,521

Rapid City, SD $32,510

Jackson, MS $32,445

Huntington, WV $32,442

Greenville, MS $32,441

Parkersburg, WV $32,404

Montgomery, AL $32,397

Wichita Falls, TX $32,361

Springfield, MO $32,361

Biloxi, MS $32,343

Monroe, LA $32,306

Johnstown, PA $32,281

Sumter, SC $32,266

Columbus, GA $32,262

Pascagoula, MS $32,193

Abilene, TX $32,193

Kingsport, TN $32,098

Albany, GA $32,098

Gulfport, MS $32,087

Alexandria, LA $31,967

Fort Smith, AR $31,875

El Paso, TX $31,777

Las Cruces, NM $31,613

Harlingen, TX $31,520

Pocatello, ID $31,514

Florence, AL $31,467

Brownsville, TX $31,459

Mcallen, TX $31,383

Dothan, AL $31,332

Columbus, MS $31,115

Altus, OK $30,945

Lawton, OK $30,876

Pierre, SD $30,744

What Skills Can Increase a Line Chef's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Commitment (Mentioned in 8.4% Job Postings): An agreement or pledge to do something in the future a commitment to improve conditions at the prison especially : an engagement to assume a financial obligation at a future date.
Food Service (Mentioned in 3.6% Job Postings): The foodservice or catering industry includes the businesses, institutions, and companies which prepare meals outside the home.
Safety Regulations (Mentioned in 1.59% Job Postings): Regulations or rules that are put in place to ensure a product, event, etc., is safe and not dangerous.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Commitment	8.4%
Food Service	3.6%
Safety Regulations	1.59%

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 Line Chef's salary.

Commitment: Can increase your salary by up to 19%.
Coaching: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
Merchandising: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Commitment	$43,425	19%
Coaching	$40,141	10%
Merchandising	$39,411	8%
Food Safety	$39,046	7%
Leadership	$39,046	7%
Foodservice	$38,681	6%

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Line Chef Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Line Chef roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 50% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Pharmaceuticals and Software & Networking sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average. In contrast, Line Chef positions in Retail & Wholesale or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Line Chef as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Line Chef

Industry Sector	Average Annual Salary	Average Hourly Rate	Pay vs.Avg
Pharmaceuticals	$47,439	$23.0	30%
Software & Networking	$45,615	$22.0	25%
Construction	$43,790	$21.0	20%
Energy & Utilities	$41,965	$20.0	15%
Business Services	$40,141	$19.0	10%

How Education impacts a Line Chef's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Line 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 Line Chef with a No Diploma is between $38,281 and $41,120).

Line Chef Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Line Chef

No Diploma 2.3%

High School 43.4%

Associates 37.6%

Bachelors 15.7%

Masters 0.6%

Doctorate 0.3%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	2.3%
High School	43.4%
Associates	37.6%
Bachelors	15.7%
Masters	0.6%
Doctorate	0.3%

view as graph

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

Understanding how a Line 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 July 01, 2026

$32,409

Average $36,492/year

$40,476

$2,701

Average $3,041/month

$3,373

$623

Average $702/week

$778

$16

Average $18/hour

$19

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$40,476	$3,373	$778	$19
Average	$36,492	$3,041	$702	$18
25th Percentile	$32,409	$2,701	$623	$16

Salaries of jobs related to Line Chef

Salary Trends for Line Chef

Salaries for a Line Chef can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $39,621 in 2023 to around $39,162 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Line Chef salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Line Chef Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$39,621

2024

$39,394

2025

$39,162

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$39,621
2024	$39,394
2025	$39,162
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Line Chef

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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.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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