SALARY · CHEF

Chef salary in 2026

Median pay, hourly rates, top-paying cities, and live chef jobs from MAJC's coverage area. Numbers below combine U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics with 10 active postings.

Median (national)

$58,920

$28.33/hr · BLS May 2024

Top 10 percent

$99K+

$47.83/hr effective

National pay for chefs

$58,920median, full year

About $28.33/hr. Top 10 percent earn $99K+.

BLS Occupation 35-1011Chefs and Head Cooks, May 2024. Source

Chef pay by city

MAJC-active metros with at least one disclosed chef salary in the last 14 days. Median is across disclosed postings only; sample size noted per row.

City Active Median posted vs national
Miami 4 — — See 4 →
Houston 3 — — See 3 →
Miami Beach 3 — — See 3 →

How chefs push pay above median

  • Volume + format leverage. High-cover-count concepts (200+ covers, multi-outlet hotels) pay more than small independents — same role, different scope.
  • Specialized knowledge. Wine or spirits certification, specific cuisine training, or technical systems (POS, inventory) all command premiums.
  • Bilingual fluency. English/Spanish in the U.S. hospitality market is consistently worth a meaningful bump.
  • Tenure + leadership. "Lead" or "Head" prefixes typically signal 15–30% over an "Associate" version of the same role.
  • Disclosed-salary postings. Filter MAJC for chef jobs with disclosed pay — those tend to be the ones that compete on number, not vibes.

Top-paying live chef jobs right now

Highest disclosed salaries across 10 active chef postings.

Browse all 10 chef jobs →

Frequently asked

What is the average chef salary?
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics median annual pay for chefs and head cooks is $58,920 ($28.33/hr) as of May 2024. The top 10% earn $99K or more.
How much does a chef make per hour?
BLS reports a median hourly rate of $28.33/hr for chefs and head cooks. Tipped roles (server, bartender, busser) can substantially exceed the base hourly with gratuities.
Which cities pay chefs the most?
Major metros (Miami, Houston, and high-tourist coastal cities) typically pay chefs 10–20% above the national median. See the city breakdown above for live disclosed rates.
What skills increase chef pay the most?
In hospitality, the biggest pay drivers are: specialized cuisine or beverage knowledge, fluency in a second language (Spanish in the U.S.), high-volume service experience, and proven leadership of a team. POS proficiency (Toast, Tock, Resy) and inventory or P&L responsibility also push pay above median.
How do I find a chef job that pays above median?
Filter MAJC's chef listings by "Salary listed" to surface postings with disclosed pay, then sort by salary. Hotels and high-cover-count restaurants tend to disclose more often than smaller independents. Browse all 10 chef listings below.