Chefs and Head Cooks — Salary by State

Median annual wages across 51 states, from BLS data.

National Median

$60,990

Highest

$81,200

Hawaii

Lowest

$38,340

Louisiana

Total Employment

182,200

Salary by State

#	State	Median Salary	Employment	vs. National
1	Hawaii	$81,200	830	+33.1%
2	Rhode Island	$79,160	700	+29.8%
3	North Dakota	$76,630	90	+25.6%
4	District of Columbia	$74,000	1,940	+21.3%
5	Massachusetts	$71,330	5,330	+17.0%
6	Washington	$69,800	3,840	+14.4%
7	New Jersey	$69,660	6,060	+14.2%
8	California	$66,780	26,500	+9.5%
9	Delaware	$65,290	490	+7.1%
10	Wyoming	$64,790	330	+6.2%
11	New York	$64,300	15,420	+5.4%
12	Colorado	$63,990	4,180	+4.9%
13	Vermont	$63,270	530	+3.7%
14	Alabama	$62,670	1,280	+2.8%
15	Connecticut	$62,540	3,600	+2.5%
16	Maryland	$61,990	3,310	+1.6%
17	Arizona	$61,950	3,260	+1.6%
18	Illinois	$61,450	5,540	+0.8%
19	South Carolina	$61,290	2,000	+0.5%
20	West Virginia	$60,790	310	-0.3%
21	Oregon	$60,270	3,640	-1.2%
22	Wisconsin	$60,170	2,130	-1.3%
23	North Carolina	$59,810	4,100	-1.9%
24	Virginia	$59,780	3,900	-2.0%
25	Pennsylvania	$59,630	7,060	-2.2%
26	Florida	$59,580	17,170	-2.3%
27	Tennessee	$59,470	2,720	-2.5%
28	Minnesota	$59,430	1,630	-2.6%
29	Missouri	$59,220	1,590	-2.9%
30	Nevada	$58,590	4,560	-3.9%
31	Michigan	$58,430	5,310	-4.2%
32	New Hampshire	$58,400	1,260	-4.2%
33	Nebraska	$58,390	600	-4.3%
34	Kansas	$58,290	980	-4.4%
35	Alaska	$57,610	780	-5.5%
36	Indiana	$57,140	1,140	-6.3%
37	Ohio	$56,700	4,040	-7.0%
38	Maine	$55,860	1,290	-8.4%
39	Montana	$55,650	500	-8.8%
40	New Mexico	$55,170	400	-9.5%
41	Oklahoma	$53,310	1,210	-12.6%
42	Georgia	$51,630	4,390	-15.3%
43	Texas	$51,050	16,550	-16.3%
44	Idaho	$50,010	420	-18.0%
45	Arkansas	$49,060	950	-19.6%
46	South Dakota	$46,510	290	-23.7%
47	Mississippi	$44,990	950	-26.2%
48	Utah	$44,490	1,880	-27.1%
49	Kentucky	$44,220	1,860	-27.5%
50	Iowa	$43,690	1,500	-28.4%
51	Louisiana	$38,340	1,860	-37.1%