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

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

How does experience change A Culinary Director's salary?

A Culinary Director's salary grows with experience: a Food & Beverage Supervisor (0-3 years)earns $41,470, a Food & Beverage Manager (3-5 years)earns $92,919, a Culinary Director (5+ years)earns $116,051,

What are the highest paying states for a Culinary Director?

Culinary Director salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Culinary Director roles are District of Columbia $129,975, California $129,482, Massachusetts $127,757. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Culinary Director roles make?

Salaries for Culinary Director level roles vary by specialization: Director Of Culinary: $122,034; Assistant Culinary Services Director: $116,959; Director Of Culinary Operations: $114,724; Culinary Services Director: $113,100; Culinary Manager: $98,627.

How do different companies affect a Culinary Director's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Culinary Director roles. Large, established industry leaders like New York Police Department ($97,099) and State of New York - Metropolitan Transportation Authority ($95,962) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $75,106.

Culinary Director Salary in the United States

How much does a Culinary Director make in the United States?

As of May 01, 2026, the average salary for a Culinary Director in the United States is $117,391 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $56.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $152,194
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $108,232 to $135,608
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $99,893

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Culinary Director Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$135,608	$11,301	$2,608	$65
Average	$117,391	$9,783	$2,258	$56
25th Percentile	$108,232	$9,019	$2,081	$52

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Key Factors That Influence Culinary Director Salaries

A Culinary Director'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 Do Culinary Director 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 Culinary Directors. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $129,975.
California: $129,482.
Massachusetts: $127,757.

District of Columbia $129,975 California $129,482 Massachusetts $127,757 Washington $127,287 New Jersey $127,240 Alaska $127,076 Connecticut $125,456 New York $124,798

Hawaii $122,697 Rhode Island $121,711 Maryland $121,042 Minnesota $120,126 Colorado $119,774 Illinois $119,657 Oregon $119,211 Delaware $118,882

New Hampshire $118,675 Virginia $118,213 Pennsylvania $116,863 Nevada $116,182 North Dakota $115,959 Michigan $115,607 Wisconsin $115,478 Vermont $115,219

Texas $114,503 Maine $114,456 Arizona $114,386 Ohio $114,304 Georgia $113,224 Indiana $112,684 Wyoming $112,578 Utah $112,414

Iowa $112,343 Kansas $111,780 Louisiana $111,615 North Carolina $111,557 Missouri $111,533 Florida $111,075 Montana $110,829 Nebraska $110,594

Kentucky $110,465 South Carolina $109,995 Tennessee $109,702 Idaho $109,584 New Mexico $108,728 Oklahoma $108,540 Alabama $107,847 South Dakota $106,685

Arkansas $106,051 West Virginia $105,711 Mississippi $104,689

Top Paying Cities for Culinary Directors

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: $148,065
San Francisco: $146,444
Oakland: $143,358

San Jose, CA $148,065

San Francisco, CA $146,444

Oakland, CA $143,358

New York, NY $135,163

Paramus, NJ $133,519

Queens Village, NY $133,513

Passaic, NJ $133,402

Bergenfield, NJ $133,391

Stamford, CT $133,133

Huntington, NY $133,085

Newark, NJ $132,217

Bridgeport, CT $131,970

Vallejo, CA $131,736

New Brunswick, NJ $131,689

Petaluma, CA $131,619

Middlesex, NJ $131,396

Somerset, NJ $131,314

Santa Cruz, CA $131,161

Boston, MA $130,445

Monterey, CA $130,033

Seattle, WA $129,764

Santa Rosa, CA $129,741

Los Angeles, CA $129,705

Juneau, AK $129,400

Washington, DC $129,271

Orange, CA $128,853

Santa Ana, CA $128,543

Long Beach, CA $128,426

Anaheim, CA $128,402

Anchorage, AK $128,344

Santa Maria, CA $127,991

Everett, WA $127,968

Danbury, CT $127,555

Bremerton, WA $127,393

Tacoma, WA $126,970

New Suffolk, NY $126,968

Sacramento, CA $126,935

Santa Barbara, CA $126,806

Trenton, NJ $126,677

San Diego, CA $126,677

Brockton, MA $126,547

Fairbanks, AK $126,260

Lompoc, CA $125,961

Lowell, MA $125,865

Ventura, CA $125,843

Nashua, NH $125,820

Stockton, CA $125,808

Modesto, CA $124,951

Poughkeepsie, NY $124,693

Olympia, WA $124,470

Kennewick, WA $124,470

New Haven, CT $124,423

Lawrence, MA $124,000

Hartford, CT $123,883

Riverside, CA $123,859

New Bedford, MA $123,742

Richland, WA $123,742

Bakersfield, CA $123,578

San Bernardino, CA $123,531

New Britain, CT $123,519

Atlantic City, NJ $123,519

New London, CT $123,472

Norwich, CT $123,437

Portsmouth, NH $123,413

Boulder, CO $123,164

Portland, OR $123,002

Worcester, MA $122,991

Minneapolis, MN $122,627

Philadelphia, PA $122,462

Honolulu, HI $122,075

Saint Paul, MN $122,019

Vineland, NJ $121,993

Providence, RI $121,652

Chicago, IL $121,312

Bellingham, WA $121,171

Springfield, MA $121,077

Baltimore, MD $121,042

Chico, CA $120,748

Pittsfield, MA $120,431

Manchester, NH $120,208

Spokane, WA $119,692

Denver, CO $119,680

Albany, NY $119,128

Troy, NY $119,081

Nassau, NY $118,956

Schenectady, NY $118,835

Wilmington, DE $118,741

Burlington, VT $118,577

Salem, OR $118,530

Portland, ME $118,166

Yakima, WA $118,048

Rochester, MN $117,684

Reno, NV $117,626

Fresno, CA $117,626

Milwaukee, WI $117,520

Detroit, MI $117,403

Ann Arbor, MI $117,383

Allentown, PA $117,368

Colorado Springs, CO $117,168

Syracuse, NY $117,109

Carson City, NV $117,109

Houston, TX $116,945

Eugene, OR $116,886

Gary, IN $116,745

Springfield, OR $116,651

Bismarck, ND $116,628

Galveston, TX $116,546

Medford, OR $116,370

Fort Collins, CO $116,323

Concord, NH $116,264

Austin, TX $116,229

Mesa, AZ $115,982

Reading, PA $115,971

Phoenix, AZ $115,959

Dallas, TX $115,924

Saint Cloud, MN $115,811

Madison, WI $115,654

Utica, NY $115,337

Rochester, NY $115,149

Des Moines, IA $115,137

Raleigh, NC $115,125

Atlanta, GA $114,949

Battle Creek, MI $114,914

Salt Lake City, UT $114,879

Lancaster, PA $114,703

Harrisburg, PA $114,538

Kansas City, MO $114,421

Champaign, IL $114,398

Kansas City, KS $114,398

Fort Worth, TX $114,386

Columbus, OH $114,366

Boca Raton, FL $114,339

Pittsburgh, PA $114,292

Richmond, VA $114,245

Indianapolis, IN $114,221

Cleveland, OH $114,210

Las Vegas, NV $114,069

Cincinnati, OH $114,069

Petersburg, VA $113,893

Huntsville, AL $113,717

Lansing, MI $113,638

Lebanon, PA $113,623

Pueblo, CO $113,611

Appleton, WI $113,576

Buffalo, NY $113,529

Dayton, OH $113,494

Racine, WI $113,470

Charlotte, NC $113,458

Saint Louis, MO $113,423

York, PA $113,353

Elkhart, IN $113,353

Gastonia, NC $113,330

Billings, MT $113,302

Beaumont, TX $113,271

Lorain, OH $113,247

Benton Harbor, MI $113,224

Toledo, OH $113,200

Binghamton, NY $113,141

Rock Hill, SC $113,130

Rockford, IL $113,071

Springfield, IL $113,024

Elyria, OH $113,012

Fargo, ND $113,012

Flagstaff, AZ $112,930

Fort Lauderdale, FL $112,860

Duluth, MN $112,789

Miami, FL $112,789

Cheyenne, WY $112,707

Grand Forks, ND $112,707

Bangor, ME $112,449

Cedar Rapids, IA $112,320

Durham, NC $112,270

Louisville, KY $112,261

Grand Rapids, MI $112,238

Hialeah, FL $112,226

Casper, WY $112,061

Scranton, PA $111,921

New Orleans, LA $111,885

Virginia Beach, VA $111,874

Akron, OH $111,815

Peoria, IL $111,662

Sarasota, FL $111,639

Nashville, TN $111,557

Omaha, NE $111,557

Green Bay, WI $111,557

Baton Rouge, LA $111,498

Charleston, SC $111,474

Jamestown, NY $111,416

Davenport, IA $111,416

Tucson, AZ $111,357

Saint Petersburg, FL $111,287

Tampa, FL $111,263

Evansville, IN $111,193

Port Arthur, TX $111,193

Bradenton, FL $111,146

Santa Fe, NM $110,934

Orlando, FL $110,723

Clearwater, FL $110,688

Canton, OH $110,441

La Crosse, WI $110,441

Albuquerque, NM $110,371

Newport News, VA $110,359

High Point, NC $110,324

Ogden, UT $110,277

Corpus Christi, TX $110,183

Norfolk, VA $110,113

Laramie, WY $110,113

Rock Island, IL $110,042

Saginaw, MI $110,019

Jacksonville, FL $110,007

Salisbury, NC $109,984

Boise, ID $109,960

Moline, IL $109,901

Fort Myers, FL $109,866

Memphis, TN $109,843

Tulsa, OK $109,784

Waterloo, IA $109,714

Spartanburg, SC $109,596

Lincoln, NE $109,538

Fort Wayne, IN $109,514

Provo, UT $109,502

Cedar Falls, IA $109,361

San Antonio, TX $109,314

Greensboro, NC $109,268

South Bend, IN $109,256

Savannah, GA $109,127

Muskegon, MI $109,080

Birmingham, AL $109,068

Winston Salem, NC $109,010

Lake Charles, LA $108,728

Anderson, IN $108,704

Lexington, KY $108,669

Augusta, GA $108,634

Greenville, SC $108,634

Lima, OH $108,540

Wichita, KS $108,528

Tuscaloosa, AL $108,528

Columbia, SC $108,422

Springfield, OH $108,399

Asheville, NC $108,211

Bloomington, IN $108,129

Knoxville, TN $107,706

Shreveport, LA $107,695

Wilmington, NC $107,542

Roanoke, VA $107,542

Topeka, KS $107,331

Frankfort, KY $107,318

Oklahoma City, OK $107,237

Chillicothe, OH $107,190

Longview, TX $107,178

Melbourne, FL $107,166

Sioux Falls, SD $106,978

Mobile, AL $106,967

Terre Haute, IN $106,920

Altoona, PA $106,849

Amarillo, TX $106,767

Killeen, TX $106,732

Fayetteville, AR $106,638

Chattanooga, TN $106,603

Sioux City, IA $106,497

Idaho Falls, ID $106,474

Lynchburg, VA $106,380

Gainesville, FL $106,227

Portsmouth, OH $106,168

Little Rock, AR $106,145

Lafayette, LA $106,098

Youngstown, OH $106,098

Daytona Beach, FL $106,028

Clarksville, TN $106,016

Pensacola, FL $106,004

Temple, TX $105,996

Hopkinsville, KY $105,652

Erie, PA $105,628

Florence, SC $105,581

Charleston, WV $105,394

Great Falls, MT $105,335

Macon, GA $105,171

Tallahassee, FL $105,159

Fayetteville, NC $105,135

Waco, TX $105,112

Helena, MT $105,030

Pine Bluff, AR $104,985

Vincennes, IN $104,842

Lubbock, TX $104,795

Alamogordo, NM $104,725

Twin Falls, ID $104,619

Rapid City, SD $104,584

Jackson, MS $104,372

Huntington, WV $104,364

Greenville, MS $104,361

Parkersburg, WV $104,241

Montgomery, AL $104,220

Wichita Falls, TX $104,102

Springfield, MO $104,102

Biloxi, MS $104,044

Monroe, LA $103,926

Johnstown, PA $103,844

Sumter, SC $103,797

Columbus, GA $103,785

Pascagoula, MS $103,562

Abilene, TX $103,562

Kingsport, TN $103,257

Albany, GA $103,257

Gulfport, MS $103,222

Alexandria, LA $102,835

Fort Smith, AR $102,541

El Paso, TX $102,224

Las Cruces, NM $101,696

Harlingen, TX $101,398

Pocatello, ID $101,379

Florence, AL $101,226

Brownsville, TX $101,203

Mcallen, TX $100,956

Dothan, AL $100,792

Columbus, MS $100,095

Altus, OK $99,548

Lawton, OK $99,325

Pierre, SD $98,902

What Skills Can Increase a Culinary Director's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Leadership (Mentioned in 6.12% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
Menu Development (Mentioned in 2.04% Job Postings): Menu Development focuses primarily on the dish selection and design of a menu. When developing custom menus for clients, we look at the brand's story, guest demographics, local ingredients, and specialties
Food Handling (Mentioned in 1.58% 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
Leadership	6.12%
Menu Development	2.04%
Food Handling	1.58%

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 Director's salary.

Expense Management: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Listening: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Initiative: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Expense Management	$122,087	4%
Listening	$122,087	4%
Initiative	$122,087	4%
Merchandising	$122,087	4%
Verbal Communication	$122,087	4%
Commitment	$122,087	4%

Get Latest Data

How Education impacts a Culinary Director's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Culinary Directors enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate 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 Culinary Director with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $97,611 and $108,761).

Culinary Director Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Culinary Director

No Diploma 1.4%

High School 22.0%

Associates 17.3%

Bachelors 52.3%

Masters 6.9%

Doctorate 0.0%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	1.4%
High School	22.0%
Associates	17.3%
Bachelors	52.3%
Masters	6.9%
Doctorate	0.0%

view as graph

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

Understanding how a Culinary Director'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 May 01, 2026

$108,232

Average $117,391/year

$135,608

$9,019

Average $9,783/month

$11,301

$2,081

Average $2,258/week

$2,608

$52

Average $56/hour

$65

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$135,608	$11,301	$2,608	$65
Average	$117,391	$9,783	$2,258	$56
25th Percentile	$108,232	$9,019	$2,081	$52

Salaries of jobs related to Culinary Director

Salary Trends for Culinary Director

Salaries for a Culinary Director can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $84,602 in 2023 to around $81,025 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Culinary Director salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Culinary Director Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$84,602

2024

$82,329

2025

$81,025

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$84,602
2024	$82,329
2025	$81,025
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Culinary Director

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

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