Culinary Assistant Salary in University Park, IL

How much does a Culinary Assistant make in University Park, IL?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Culinary Assistant in University Park, IL is $33,111 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $16.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $37,773
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $30,826 to $35,551
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $28,746
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View as table View as graph 25% $30,826 10% $28,746 90% $37,773 75% $35,551 $33,111 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Culinary Assistant Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $35,551 $2,963 $684 $17
Average $33,111 $2,759 $637 $16
25th Percentile $30,826 $2,569 $593 $15
Check out Culinary Assistant Job Openings in University Park, IL
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Key Factors That Influence Culinary Assistant Salaries

A Culinary Assistant'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, skills and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Culinary Assistant Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Culinary Assistant'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): $32,571
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $32,635
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $33,466
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $34,568
  • Expert (over 8 years): $34,646
Levels Salary
Entry Level Culinary Assistant$32,571
Intermediate Level Culinary Assistant$32,635
Senior Level Culinary Assistant$33,466
Specialist Level Culinary Assistant$34,568
Expert Level Culinary Assistant$34,646
$32,571 0 yr
$32,635 < 2 yrs
$33,466 2-4 yrs
$34,568 5-8 yrs
$34,646 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Culinary Assistants

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: $42,180
  • San Francisco: $41,718
  • Oakland: $40,839

What Skills Can Increase a Culinary Assistant's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Customer Service (Mentioned in 9.79% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
  • Foodservice (Mentioned in 3.76% Job Postings): The foodservice or catering industry includes the businesses, institutions, and companies which prepare meals outside the home. It includes restaurants, school and hospital cafeterias, catering operations, and many other formats.
  • Safety Standards (Mentioned in 1.74% Job Postings): Safety standards are designed to ensure the safety of products, activities and processes, etc. They may be advisory or compulsory and are normally laid down by an advisory or regulatory body that may be either voluntary or statutory.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 9.79%
Foodservice 3.76%
Safety Standards 1.74%
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 Culinary Assistant's salary.
  • Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • WFM: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Leadership: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Collaboration
$35,759
8%
WFM
$35,428
7%
Leadership
$34,766
5%
Honesty and Integrity
$34,766
5%
Team Management
$34,766
5%
Foodservice
$34,435
4%
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Culinary Assistant Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Culinary Assistant roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 60% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Energy & Utilities and Aerospace & Defense sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average. In contrast, Culinary Assistant positions in Financial Services or Software & Networking typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Culinary Assistant as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Culinary Assistant

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Energy & Utilities$43,044$21.030%
Aerospace & Defense$41,388$20.025%
MFG Nondurable$39,733$19.020%
Healthcare$38,077$18.015%
Business Services$36,422$18.010%

Culinary Assistant Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Culinary Assistant'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 August 01, 2026

Find Your Next Culinary Assistant Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Culinary Assistant job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
  • Hydrite Chemical

    University Park, IL

    Hydrite Chemical | University Park, IL

    Warehouse Operator. University Park, IL We are building a talent pool for future Warehouse and Production Operator openings. While there may not be a curre... more

    3 Days Ago

  • Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police

    University Park, IL

    Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police | University Park, IL

    Read the full brochure: https://bit.ly/UPDeputyChief. The. Village of University Park. is seeking an experienced and forward-thinking Deputy Chief of Polic... more

    4 Days Ago

  • SweetLife By Sucro

    University Park, IL

    SweetLife By Sucro | University Park, IL

    Quality Assurance Supervisor. Location. University Park, IL - On-site. Compensation. $65,000–$80,000 annually. Status. Exempt. Sweet Life by Sucro is seeki... more

    4 Days Ago

  • Federal Signal

    University Park, IL

    Federal Signal | University Park, IL

    Product Specialist. The Product Specialist is the champion and primary point of contact for all assigned products, and coordinates the activities of all de... more

    5 Days Ago

  • United IT

    University Park, IL

    United IT | University Park, IL

    Sales Order Management Specialist. Responsible for sales order entry, marketing, advanced pricing, distribution, shipping and customer interface functional... more

    6 Days Ago

  • Ryder

    University Park, IL

    Ryder | University Park, IL

    Midwest Regional CDL-A Truck Driver. Ryder is hiring a Class A CDL Truck Driver in University Park, IL offering weekly pay, excellent benefits, and a drivi... more

    6 Days Ago

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