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 61 active postings. Hiring? Use the free chef job description template.
Median (national)
$58,920
$28.33/hr · BLS May 2024
Top 10 percent
$99K+
$47.83/hr effective
MAJC posted median
$75,000
From 33 disclosed
National pay for chefs
$58,920median, full year
About $28.33/hr. Top 10 percent earn $99K+.
Of 33 MAJC postings disclosing salary in this category, median is $75,000. Source: actual job postings
BLS Occupation 35-1011Chefs and Head Cooks, May 2024. Source
Want to see where your own paycheck sits? Use the free Am I paid fairly checker. Pick this role, your state, and what you take home.
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | 9 | — | — | See 9 → |
| Miami | 2 | — | — | See 2 → |
| Miami Beach | 1 | — | — | See 1 → |
| Coral Gables | 1 | — | — | See 1 → |
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 61 active chef postings.
- $141k to $225k
General Manager - New Michelin Star Trained Chef Owned Concept
- $105k to $122k
Manager, Business Development - Green Chef
- $100k to $115k
Executive Chef
- $95k to $115k
Head Chef
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 61 chef listings below.