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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2020

35-1011 Chefs and Head Cooks

Direct and may participate in the preparation, seasoning, and cooking of salads, soups, fish, meats, vegetables, desserts, or other foods. May plan and price menu items, order supplies, and keep records and accounts.


National estimates for Chefs and Head Cooks
Industry profile for Chefs and Head Cooks
Geographic profile for Chefs and Head Cooks

National estimates for Chefs and Head Cooks:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Chefs and Head Cooks:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
101,490 2.6 % $ 28.24 $ 58,740 1.5 %

Percentile wage estimates for Chefs and Head Cooks:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 14.57 $ 18.95 $ 25.66 $ 34.30 $ 43.65
Annual Wage (2) $ 30,300 $ 39,420 $ 53,380 $ 71,350 $ 90,790


Industry profile for Chefs and Head Cooks:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Chefs and Head Cooks are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Chefs and Head Cooks, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Chefs and Head Cooks:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Restaurants and Other Eating Places 50,210 0.56 $ 27.03 $ 56,230
Special Food Services 12,000 2.15 $ 29.87 $ 62,120
Traveler Accommodation 10,870 0.72 $ 31.22 $ 64,940
Other Amusement and Recreation Industries 5,440 0.54 $ 31.29 $ 65,070
Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly 2,960 0.31 $ 26.02 $ 54,130

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Chefs and Head Cooks:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Special Food Services 12,000 2.15 $ 29.87 $ 62,120
Rooming and Boarding Houses 80 0.79 $ 22.24 $ 46,260
Traveler Accommodation 10,870 0.72 $ 31.22 $ 64,940
Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water 80 0.68 $ 29.90 $ 62,200
Restaurants and Other Eating Places 50,210 0.56 $ 27.03 $ 56,230

Top paying industries for Chefs and Head Cooks:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation 60 0.16 $ 42.74 $ 88,890
Office Administrative Services (8) (8) $ 36.90 $ 76,750
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 1,520 0.07 $ 35.87 $ 74,610
Insurance Carriers 60 (7) $ 35.65 $ 74,160
Land Subdivision 40 0.12 $ 34.03 $ 70,790


Geographic profile for Chefs and Head Cooks:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Chefs and Head Cooks are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Chefs and Head Cooks, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in Chefs and Head Cooks:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 15,960 0.97 1.33 $ 32.41 $ 67,400
New York 12,930 1.49 2.04 $ 29.83 $ 62,050
Florida 10,580 1.25 1.72 $ 26.60 $ 55,330
Texas 4,900 0.40 0.56 $ 27.53 $ 57,260
Massachusetts 3,250 0.97 1.33 $ 31.66 $ 65,850




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Chefs and Head Cooks:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Vermont 730 2.60 3.56 $ 22.16 $ 46,100
Nevada 2,150 1.72 2.36 $ 27.60 $ 57,410
New York 12,930 1.49 2.04 $ 29.83 $ 62,050
Alaska 420 1.41 1.93 $ 25.29 $ 52,590
District of Columbia 930 1.36 1.86 $ 31.40 $ 65,320




Top paying states for Chefs and Head Cooks:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New Jersey 2,380 0.63 0.86 $ 40.24 $ 83,700
Hawaii 610 1.06 1.45 $ 35.65 $ 74,150
Rhode Island 230 0.51 0.70 $ 35.55 $ 73,950
California 15,960 0.97 1.33 $ 32.41 $ 67,400
Massachusetts 3,250 0.97 1.33 $ 31.66 $ 65,850





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Chefs and Head Cooks:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 12,350 1.40 1.92 $ 32.33 $ 67,250
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 5,380 0.92 1.27 $ 28.46 $ 59,190
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 3,680 1.58 2.16 $ 34.35 $ 71,450
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 2,820 1.12 1.54 $ 26.82 $ 55,780
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 2,600 0.60 0.82 $ 29.79 $ 61,960
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 2,550 0.84 1.16 $ 29.71 $ 61,800
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 2,550 0.98 1.34 $ 32.11 $ 66,780
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL 1,960 1.65 2.26 $ 27.28 $ 56,750
Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV 1,760 1.95 2.68 $ 27.90 $ 58,040
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 1,710 0.48 0.65 $ 28.12 $ 58,500




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Chefs and Head Cooks:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Napa, CA 230 3.36 4.61 $ 35.85 $ 74,570
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL 810 3.09 4.24 $ 35.52 $ 73,890
The Villages, FL 90 2.99 4.10 $ 26.47 $ 55,050
Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL 430 2.98 4.08 $ 32.48 $ 67,550
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC 200 2.71 3.71 $ 23.37 $ 48,620
Medford, OR 190 2.32 3.17 $ 24.77 $ 51,520
Charleston-North Charleston, SC 780 2.27 3.11 $ 20.24 $ 42,100
Kingston, NY 120 2.22 3.04 $ 29.19 $ 60,720
Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI 150 2.19 3.00 $ 43.67 $ 90,840
Glens Falls, NY 100 2.17 2.97 $ 24.26 $ 50,470




Top paying metropolitan areas for Chefs and Head Cooks:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 1,450 1.04 1.42 $ 47.22 $ 98,210
Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI 150 2.19 3.00 $ 43.67 $ 90,840
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT 290 0.76 1.04 $ 41.57 $ 86,460
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 990 0.90 1.23 $ 40.45 $ 84,130
Muncie, IN (8) (8) (8) $ 39.05 $ 81,230
Ocean City, NJ 50 1.54 2.10 $ 36.91 $ 76,770
Santa Fe, NM 60 1.06 1.45 $ 36.59 $ 76,100
Napa, CA 230 3.36 4.61 $ 35.85 $ 74,570
Urban Honolulu, HI 300 0.72 0.98 $ 35.75 $ 74,350
Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ 90 0.79 1.08 $ 35.68 $ 74,210

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Chefs and Head Cooks:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area 410 4.24 5.81 $ 20.44 $ 42,520
Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 370 3.27 4.49 $ 29.51 $ 61,380
Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area 210 1.15 1.58 $ 27.30 $ 56,780
Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 200 1.06 1.45 $ 18.73 $ 38,960
Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area 200 3.05 4.18 $ 25.25 $ 52,520

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Chefs and Head Cooks:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area 410 4.24 5.81 $ 20.44 $ 42,520
Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 370 3.27 4.49 $ 29.51 $ 61,380
Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area 200 3.05 4.18 $ 25.25 $ 52,520
Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area 150 2.59 3.56 $ 33.04 $ 68,720
Northern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 80 2.55 3.50 $ 31.12 $ 64,730

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Chefs and Head Cooks:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 100 1.07 1.47 $ 38.36 $ 79,790
Northern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area 40 0.30 0.41 $ 34.65 $ 72,070
Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 70 0.68 0.93 $ 34.44 $ 71,640
Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area 40 0.28 0.38 $ 33.09 $ 68,830
East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 40 0.38 0.53 $ 33.05 $ 68,750


About May 2020 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2020 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2021