340 metro areas
Chef Salary by City (2026)
Chefs earn the most in Kahului, HI, an average of $91,370 a year, against $66,700 nationally. After local prices, pay goes furthest in Kahului, HI ($83,520 in national-average dollars). Every metro area with its own BLS estimate is ranked below.
- US average (mean)
- $66,700BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Highest-paying city
- $91,370Kahului, HI
- Best after cost of living
- $83,520Kahului, HI
- Metro areas
- 340With their own estimate
Top cities
Highest-paying cities for chefs
Top 10 metro areas
- Kahului, HI$91,370
- Napa, CA$83,740
- San Jose, CA$80,140
- Albany, NY$79,500
- Providence, RI-MA$79,440
- Hilton Head Island, SC$77,850
- Kingston, NY$77,730
- Seattle, WA$76,810
- Salinas, CA$76,270
- Urban Honolulu, HI$75,730
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $91,370 |
| Napa, CA | $83,740 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $80,140 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $79,500 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $79,440 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | $77,850 |
| Kingston, NY | $77,730 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $76,810 |
| Salinas, CA | $76,270 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $75,730 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Mean wage ÷ BEA price level
- Kahului, HI$91,370 nominal$83,520
- Sandusky, OH$72,320 nominal$81,000
- Terre Haute, IN$70,410 nominal$80,200
- Albany, NY$79,500 nominal$79,850
- Hilton Head Island, SC$77,850 nominal$79,420
- Buffalo, NY$75,610 nominal$78,890
- Jackson, TN$67,370 nominal$78,780
- Nashville, TN$75,590 nominal$78,460
- Providence, RI-MA$79,440 nominal$78,060
- Kingston, NY$77,730 nominal$77,180
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $83,520 |
| Sandusky, OH | $81,000 |
| Terre Haute, IN | $80,200 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $79,850 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | $79,420 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $78,890 |
| Jackson, TN | $78,780 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $78,460 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $78,060 |
| Kingston, NY | $77,180 |
Source: BLS OEWS 2025 · BEA RPP 2024
Every city
Chef salary in every metro area
Mean annual wage, with the Department of Labor's entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) prevailing-wage benchmarks for the same metro, and the mean at national-average prices. Sorted by mean pay.
| # | Metro area | Mean | Entry (Level I) | Experienced (Level IV) | At US prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kahului, HI | $91,370 | $63,130 | $105,290 | $83,520 |
| 2 | Napa, CA | $83,740 | $50,790 | $99,990 | $74,400 |
| 3 | San Jose, CA | $80,140 | $50,090 | $94,950 | $72,580 |
| 4 | Albany, NY | $79,500 | $56,950 | $90,600 | $79,850 |
| 5 | Providence, RI-MA | $79,440 | $54,890 | $91,520 | $78,060 |
| 6 | Hilton Head Island, SC | $77,850 | $56,870 | $88,190 | $79,420 |
| 7 | Kingston, NY | $77,730 | $51,020 | $90,900 | $77,180 |
| 8 | Seattle, WA | $76,810 | $55,640 | $87,240 | $69,120 |
| 9 | Salinas, CA | $76,270 | $48,030 | $90,170 | $69,950 |
| 10 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $75,730 | $49,170 | $88,820 | $68,250 |
| 11 | Buffalo, NY | $75,610 | $51,690 | $87,380 | $78,890 |
| 12 | Nashville, TN | $75,590 | $55,520 | $85,470 | $78,460 |
| 13 | Atlantic City, NJ | $75,460 | $52,580 | $86,740 | $76,330 |
| 14 | Boston, MA-NH | $75,460 | $52,190 | $86,920 | $69,700 |
| 15 | Kiryas Joel, NY | $74,880 | $49,900 | $87,190 | $68,430 |
| 16 | New York, NY-NJ | $74,840 | $48,190 | $87,960 | $66,490 |
| 17 | Bridgeport, CT | $74,670 | $49,380 | $87,110 | $69,870 |
| 18 | Naples, FL | $74,320 | $43,680 | $89,420 | $72,020 |
| 19 | Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV | $74,260 | $51,420 | $85,510 | $68,200 |
| 20 | San Francisco, CA | $73,900 | $44,220 | $88,520 | $63,920 |
| 21 | Atlanta, GA | $73,840 | $48,150 | $86,490 | $73,800 |
| 22 | Barnstable Town, MA | $73,070 | $48,940 | $84,950 | $74,300 |
| 23 | Denver, CO | $72,990 | $53,160 | $82,760 | $69,000 |
| 24 | New Haven, CT | $72,760 | $49,710 | $84,140 | $69,590 |
| 25 | Santa Fe, NM | $72,590 | $48,510 | $84,450 | $73,500 |
| 26 | Rochester, NY | $72,430 | $49,280 | $83,820 | $74,640 |
| 27 | Sandusky, OH | $72,320 | $48,130 | $84,240 | $81,000 |
| 28 | Charleston, SC | $71,800 | $52,620 | $81,240 | $71,120 |
| 29 | Santa Rosa, CA | $71,510 | $43,700 | $85,220 | $66,350 |
| 30 | Morgantown, WV | $71,340 | $41,790 | $85,880 | $76,440 |
| 31 | Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $71,300 | $46,970 | $83,300 | $69,520 |
| 32 | Glens Falls, NY | $71,280 | $47,340 | $83,080 | $75,140 |
| 33 | Bremerton, WA | $71,240 | $51,250 | $81,080 | $67,460 |
| 34 | Wenatchee, WA | $70,890 | $53,560 | $79,440 | $68,260 |
| 35 | Trenton, NJ | $70,640 | $42,490 | $84,510 | $68,460 |
| 36 | Vineland, NJ | $70,550 | $41,020 | $85,110 | $73,510 |
| 37 | Syracuse, NY | $70,510 | $48,860 | $81,200 | $73,650 |
| 38 | Burlington, VT | $70,410 | $54,390 | $78,290 | $69,750 |
| 39 | Terre Haute, IN | $70,410 | $35,150 | $87,780 | $80,200 |
| 40 | Reading, PA | $70,160 | $46,920 | $81,600 | $72,290 |
| 41 | Santa Maria, CA | $69,830 | $42,970 | $83,050 | $64,180 |
| 42 | Spartanburg, SC | $69,560 | $53,850 | $77,290 | $76,400 |
| 43 | Portland, OR-WA | $69,430 | $50,320 | $78,850 | $65,860 |
| 44 | Pittsburgh, PA | $69,280 | $48,420 | $79,560 | $73,180 |
| 45 | Los Angeles, CA | $69,260 | $41,100 | $83,140 | $60,990 |
| 46 | Kennewick, WA | $69,240 | $49,300 | $79,060 | $69,190 |
| 47 | Olympia, WA | $69,100 | $50,230 | $78,370 | $66,650 |
| 48 | Columbia, SC | $68,700 | $49,380 | $78,230 | $73,350 |
| 49 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $68,660 | $45,220 | $80,200 | $74,490 |
| 50 | Amherst Town, MA | $68,620 | $46,630 | $79,460 | $68,450 |
| 51 | Bozeman, MT | $68,580 | $48,710 | $78,370 | $66,900 |
| 52 | Madison, WI | $68,450 | $50,040 | $77,520 | $70,360 |
| 53 | Charlotte, NC-SC | $68,430 | $49,130 | $77,940 | $70,290 |
| 54 | Durham, NC | $68,430 | $48,460 | $78,270 | $70,130 |
| 55 | Myrtle Beach, SC | $68,430 | $51,750 | $76,650 | $73,080 |
| 56 | Vallejo, CA | $68,430 | $45,200 | $79,870 | $63,080 |
| 57 | Savannah, GA | $68,310 | $45,260 | $79,660 | $71,750 |
| 58 | Spokane, WA | $68,290 | $50,980 | $76,810 | $68,050 |
| 59 | Birmingham, AL | $68,270 | $47,420 | $78,520 | $74,490 |
| 60 | Ithaca, NY | $68,220 | $50,040 | $77,190 | $66,030 |
| 61 | Norwich, CT | $68,160 | $45,300 | $79,440 | $67,860 |
| 62 | Austin, TX | $68,120 | $46,240 | $78,890 | $69,460 |
| 63 | Gainesville, GA | $67,830 | $46,110 | $78,520 | $70,100 |
| 64 | Salisbury, MD | $67,830 | $39,730 | $81,660 | $70,940 |
| 65 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $67,750 | $44,870 | $79,000 | $73,210 |
| 66 | Knoxville, TN | $67,680 | $46,970 | $77,900 | $73,110 |
| 67 | Bellingham, WA | $67,620 | $48,960 | $76,790 | $65,440 |
| 68 | Las Vegas, NV | $67,600 | $41,250 | $80,580 | $67,450 |
| 69 | Modesto, CA | $67,600 | $41,390 | $80,520 | $64,930 |
| 70 | Minneapolis, MN-WI | $67,560 | $50,770 | $75,840 | $64,450 |
| 71 | Greenville, SC | $67,540 | $50,500 | $75,920 | $72,420 |
| 72 | Jackson, TN | $67,370 | $45,050 | $78,370 | $78,780 |
| 73 | Orlando, FL | $67,370 | $39,520 | $81,100 | $66,430 |
| 74 | Lincoln, NE | $67,330 | $38,980 | $81,310 | $73,520 |
| 75 | Augusta, GA-SC | $67,310 | $46,180 | $77,710 | $73,240 |
| 76 | Walla Walla, WA | $67,140 | $47,760 | $76,690 | $68,150 |
| 77 | Worcester, MA | $67,080 | $46,700 | $77,130 | $65,430 |
| 78 | Riverside, CA | $67,040 | $44,050 | $78,350 | $62,980 |
| 79 | Rochester, MN | $67,020 | $46,430 | $77,170 | $73,790 |
| 80 | Dallas, TX | $66,870 | $41,870 | $79,210 | $64,870 |
| 81 | Omaha, NE-IA | $66,830 | $42,830 | $78,640 | $72,710 |
| 82 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $66,810 | $44,910 | $77,580 | $70,260 |
| 83 | Brunswick, GA | $66,680 | $43,600 | $78,060 | $76,020 |
| 84 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $66,680 | $42,580 | $78,560 | $67,840 |
| 85 | Hartford, CT | $66,620 | $45,160 | $77,190 | $64,840 |
| 86 | Bend, OR | $66,560 | $47,880 | $75,750 | $64,240 |
| 87 | Pinehurst, NC | $66,540 | $44,910 | $77,190 | $75,330 |
| 88 | Medford, OR | $66,520 | $49,070 | $75,110 | $65,580 |
| 89 | Milwaukee, WI | $66,370 | $45,700 | $76,540 | $68,470 |
| 90 | Greeley, CO | $66,290 | $49,110 | $74,730 | $66,170 |
| 91 | Reno, NV | $66,250 | $43,760 | $77,310 | $65,580 |
| 92 | Salem, OR | $66,230 | $48,840 | $74,820 | $63,900 |
| 93 | Huntsville, AL | $66,210 | $44,740 | $76,770 | $71,140 |
| 94 | Warner Robins, GA | $66,160 | $41,970 | $78,080 | $70,540 |
| 95 | Allentown, PA-NJ | $66,020 | $42,910 | $77,400 | $66,040 |
| 96 | Elmira, NY | $65,960 | $47,960 | $74,820 | $69,870 |
| 97 | Alexandria, LA | $65,810 | $36,380 | $80,310 | $76,800 |
| 98 | Longview, WA | $65,600 | $48,400 | $74,090 | $67,250 |
| 99 | Merced, CA | $65,520 | $39,480 | $78,350 | $66,670 |
| 100 | Springfield, MA | $65,500 | $45,970 | $75,130 | $68,190 |
| 101 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $65,480 | $41,140 | $77,460 | $71,590 |
| 102 | Grand Junction, CO | $65,440 | $50,020 | $73,010 | $68,540 |
| 103 | Waterbury, CT | $65,270 | $43,760 | $75,860 | $65,420 |
| 104 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $65,230 | $42,020 | $76,690 | $74,360 |
| 105 | Cleveland, TN | $65,210 | $45,010 | $75,170 | $74,030 |
| 106 | Richmond, VA | $65,120 | $47,740 | $73,690 | $66,550 |
| 107 | Binghamton, NY | $65,100 | $43,410 | $75,800 | $70,100 |
| 108 | Manchester, NH | $65,020 | $41,700 | $76,500 | $61,540 |
| 109 | Oxnard, CA | $65,020 | $39,520 | $77,580 | $58,820 |
| 110 | Cleveland, OH | $64,960 | $42,430 | $76,040 | $69,160 |
| 111 | Yakima, WA | $64,960 | $47,570 | $73,530 | $67,990 |
| 112 | Albuquerque, NM | $64,940 | $43,470 | $75,500 | $67,970 |
| 113 | San Diego, CA | $64,790 | $41,480 | $76,250 | $57,910 |
| 114 | Boulder, CO | $64,770 | $41,100 | $76,420 | $61,570 |
| 115 | North Port, FL | $64,770 | $41,930 | $76,020 | $63,240 |
| 116 | Wausau, WI | $64,670 | $41,600 | $76,020 | $69,800 |
| 117 | Ann Arbor, MI | $64,580 | $45,990 | $73,760 | $64,020 |
| 118 | Detroit, MI | $64,580 | $46,430 | $73,510 | $64,390 |
| 119 | Chicago, IL-IN | $64,520 | $46,760 | $73,260 | $62,280 |
| 120 | Las Cruces, NM | $64,440 | $40,540 | $76,210 | $71,430 |
| 121 | Scranton, PA | $64,420 | $38,830 | $77,000 | $68,860 |
| 122 | Columbus, OH | $64,330 | $42,310 | $75,190 | $67,380 |
| 123 | Charlottesville, VA | $64,250 | $46,780 | $72,840 | $64,800 |
| 124 | Watertown, NY | $64,250 | $41,560 | $75,420 | $73,270 |
| 125 | Montgomery, AL | $64,210 | $45,050 | $73,650 | $71,600 |
| 126 | Eugene, OR | $64,060 | $46,430 | $72,740 | $63,070 |
| 127 | Harrisonburg, VA | $64,060 | $44,200 | $73,840 | $67,510 |
| 128 | Kalamazoo, MI | $64,040 | $44,160 | $73,840 | $67,520 |
| 129 | Raleigh, NC | $64,000 | $38,900 | $76,360 | $65,200 |
| 130 | Florence, SC | $63,860 | $42,760 | $74,260 | $73,590 |
| 131 | Baltimore, MD | $63,650 | $41,040 | $74,780 | $60,920 |
| 132 | Auburn, AL | $63,630 | $44,780 | $72,900 | $72,360 |
| 133 | Pittsfield, MA | $63,630 | $42,890 | $73,840 | $66,900 |
| 134 | Columbus, GA-AL | $63,590 | $38,150 | $76,110 | $71,210 |
| 135 | Fort Collins, CO | $63,590 | $47,820 | $71,360 | $62,880 |
| 136 | Springfield, MO | $63,560 | $42,180 | $74,090 | $71,750 |
| 137 | Sacramento, CA | $63,500 | $41,870 | $74,150 | $59,530 |
| 138 | Grand Rapids, MI | $63,440 | $46,280 | $71,910 | $66,400 |
| 139 | Midland, MI | $63,400 | $44,570 | $72,680 | $68,970 |
| 140 | Colorado Springs, CO | $63,360 | $48,980 | $70,430 | $62,920 |
| 141 | Greensboro, NC | $63,340 | $43,700 | $72,990 | $68,210 |
| 142 | San Luis Obispo, CA | $63,340 | $38,850 | $75,380 | $58,330 |
| 143 | Kenosha, WI | $63,270 | $41,910 | $73,780 | $62,570 |
| 144 | Dover, DE | $63,040 | $46,490 | $71,220 | $64,650 |
| 145 | Fresno, CA | $62,980 | $39,810 | $74,380 | $61,650 |
| 146 | Mobile, AL | $62,980 | $45,970 | $71,360 | $71,490 |
| 147 | Billings, MT | $62,940 | $44,490 | $72,010 | $67,300 |
| 148 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $62,880 | $40,410 | $73,920 | $69,140 |
| 149 | York, PA | $62,800 | $42,120 | $72,990 | $65,420 |
| 150 | Sheboygan, WI | $62,650 | $45,780 | $70,950 | $66,640 |
| 151 | Daphne, AL | $62,480 | $40,980 | $73,070 | $65,980 |
| 152 | Sumter, SC | $62,480 | $45,430 | $70,910 | $70,980 |
| 153 | Fargo, ND-MN | $62,400 | $44,840 | $71,050 | $68,670 |
| 154 | Lewiston, ME | $62,400 | $48,360 | $69,310 | $65,870 |
| 155 | Santa Cruz, CA | $62,360 | $40,500 | $73,110 | $56,740 |
| 156 | Utica, NY | $62,320 | $43,040 | $71,800 | $67,240 |
| 157 | Niles, MI | $62,300 | $46,030 | $70,320 | $67,450 |
| 158 | Corvallis, OR | $62,230 | $46,200 | $70,140 | $59,830 |
| 159 | Asheville, NC | $62,210 | $43,620 | $71,360 | $64,460 |
| 160 | Green Bay, WI | $62,170 | $40,520 | $72,840 | $66,790 |
| 161 | Redding, CA | $62,130 | $40,500 | $72,780 | $61,710 |
| 162 | Phoenix, AZ | $62,110 | $36,630 | $74,670 | $60,120 |
| 163 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $62,070 | $38,330 | $73,740 | $61,930 |
| 164 | Blacksburg, VA | $62,000 | $43,390 | $71,180 | $66,880 |
| 165 | Portland, ME | $61,940 | $51,190 | $67,250 | $60,810 |
| 166 | Akron, OH | $61,880 | $42,700 | $71,320 | $66,270 |
| 167 | Lancaster, PA | $61,840 | $44,470 | $70,390 | $62,940 |
| 168 | Johnstown, PA | $61,820 | $39,270 | $72,900 | $71,940 |
| 169 | Harrisburg, PA | $61,760 | $39,060 | $72,920 | $62,610 |
| 170 | Flagstaff, AZ | $61,710 | $38,790 | $73,010 | $61,510 |
| 171 | Oklahoma City, OK | $61,360 | $37,900 | $72,900 | $67,870 |
| 172 | Hagerstown, MD-WV | $61,280 | $38,460 | $72,530 | $65,070 |
| 173 | Jacksonville, FL | $61,260 | $42,890 | $70,300 | $61,580 |
| 174 | Duluth, MN-WI | $61,210 | $46,450 | $68,470 | $68,960 |
| 175 | Rocky Mount, NC | $61,170 | $41,310 | $70,950 | $69,500 |
| 176 | Tampa, FL | $61,170 | $40,850 | $71,180 | $60,630 |
| 177 | Mankato, MN | $61,110 | $46,130 | $68,490 | $67,190 |
| 178 | Lexington, KY | $61,090 | $36,690 | $73,110 | $65,770 |
| 179 | Eau Claire, WI | $61,030 | $40,930 | $70,910 | $65,770 |
| 180 | Appleton, WI | $61,010 | $41,370 | $70,680 | $66,010 |
| 181 | Virginia Beach, VA-NC | $61,010 | $44,820 | $68,970 | $62,290 |
| 182 | Wilmington, NC | $61,010 | $40,100 | $71,300 | $63,270 |
| 183 | St. Cloud, MN | $60,990 | $43,330 | $69,680 | $69,600 |
| 184 | Macon, GA | $60,940 | $39,170 | $71,680 | $68,840 |
| 185 | Greenville, NC | $60,800 | $42,760 | $69,660 | $68,780 |
| 186 | Athens, GA | $60,760 | $37,360 | $72,280 | $65,090 |
| 187 | Jackson, MS | $60,760 | $33,110 | $74,380 | $68,230 |
| 188 | Wildwood, FL | $60,610 | $39,020 | $71,240 | $70,950 |
| 189 | Jackson, MI | $60,530 | $42,910 | $69,180 | $65,950 |
| 190 | Bakersfield, CA | $60,510 | $37,520 | $71,820 | $59,980 |
| 191 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $60,440 | $40,620 | $70,220 | $63,370 |
| 192 | Midland, TX | $60,400 | $35,510 | $72,680 | $63,060 |
| 193 | Lansing, MI | $60,360 | $42,000 | $69,390 | $63,540 |
| 194 | Racine, WI | $60,340 | $40,730 | $69,990 | $62,880 |
| 195 | Stockton, CA | $60,320 | $39,100 | $70,780 | $57,400 |
| 196 | Miami, FL | $60,200 | $34,320 | $72,950 | $52,740 |
| 197 | State College, PA | $60,150 | $39,500 | $70,320 | $62,160 |
| 198 | Battle Creek, MI | $60,130 | $48,130 | $66,040 | $66,410 |
| 199 | Beaumont, TX | $60,090 | $34,050 | $72,920 | $66,730 |
| 200 | Cape Coral, FL | $60,010 | $37,810 | $70,950 | $58,630 |
| 201 | Pueblo, CO | $59,990 | $44,550 | $67,580 | $65,380 |
| 202 | Missoula, MT | $59,900 | $41,700 | $68,870 | $62,110 |
| 203 | Albany, GA | $59,840 | $39,640 | $69,780 | $68,260 |
| 204 | Hickory, NC | $59,840 | $41,790 | $68,740 | $67,630 |
| 205 | Burlington, NC | $59,720 | $40,140 | $69,350 | $64,080 |
| 206 | Roanoke, VA | $59,700 | $44,660 | $67,100 | $63,770 |
| 207 | Oshkosh, WI | $59,610 | $40,730 | $68,930 | $64,150 |
| 208 | Columbia, MO | $59,300 | $39,640 | $68,990 | $66,300 |
| 209 | Fayetteville, AR | $59,300 | $39,560 | $69,040 | $64,910 |
| 210 | Visalia, CA | $59,260 | $35,960 | $70,740 | $59,360 |
| 211 | Crestview, FL | $59,240 | $38,900 | $69,240 | $61,050 |
| 212 | Chambersburg, PA | $59,220 | $37,670 | $69,850 | $62,570 |
| 213 | Traverse City, MI | $59,220 | $41,950 | $67,720 | $63,420 |
| 214 | Salt Lake City, UT | $59,180 | $33,380 | $71,860 | $58,670 |
| 215 | Bangor, ME | $58,800 | $46,300 | $64,960 | $60,930 |
| 216 | Sebastian, FL | $58,780 | $37,480 | $69,260 | $59,790 |
| 217 | Lexington Park, MD | $58,740 | $39,080 | $68,430 | $58,300 |
| 218 | Ocala, FL | $58,680 | $38,790 | $68,470 | $61,620 |
| 219 | Canton, OH | $58,550 | $38,710 | $68,310 | $65,490 |
| 220 | Ames, IA | $58,530 | $40,330 | $67,520 | $65,890 |
| 221 | Topeka, KS | $58,430 | $40,330 | $67,350 | $65,780 |
| 222 | Toledo, OH | $58,280 | $38,580 | $67,970 | $63,730 |
| 223 | Flint, MI | $58,240 | $40,500 | $66,980 | $62,600 |
| 224 | Helena, MT | $58,220 | $37,900 | $68,220 | $60,850 |
| 225 | Lubbock, TX | $58,220 | $36,460 | $68,950 | $63,760 |
| 226 | Johnson City, TN | $58,120 | $32,820 | $70,570 | $66,100 |
| 227 | Bloomington, IN | $57,780 | $37,860 | $67,580 | $60,770 |
| 228 | Kingsport, TN-VA | $57,740 | $35,070 | $68,910 | $66,790 |
| 229 | Prescott Valley, AZ | $57,740 | $34,960 | $68,950 | $58,770 |
| 230 | Muskegon, MI | $57,470 | $39,420 | $66,350 | $62,120 |
| 231 | Fayetteville, NC | $57,450 | $38,750 | $66,640 | $62,460 |
| 232 | Janesville, WI | $57,430 | $41,830 | $65,100 | $61,290 |
| 233 | Lynchburg, VA | $57,390 | $40,500 | $65,710 | $64,220 |
| 234 | Williamsport, PA | $57,390 | $35,820 | $68,000 | $62,140 |
| 235 | Morristown, TN | $57,350 | $28,120 | $71,740 | $66,400 |
| 236 | Logan, UT-ID | $57,300 | $31,530 | $69,970 | $59,730 |
| 237 | Bloomington, IL | $57,280 | $42,930 | $64,360 | $61,240 |
| 238 | Deltona, FL | $57,260 | $35,070 | $68,200 | $57,620 |
| 239 | Lebanon, PA | $57,240 | $36,920 | $67,250 | $61,410 |
| 240 | Winchester, VA-WV | $57,240 | $41,750 | $64,880 | $59,350 |
| 241 | Chico, CA | $57,220 | $36,520 | $67,410 | $56,540 |
| 242 | Anchorage, AK | $57,120 | $40,330 | $65,370 | $54,180 |
| 243 | New Orleans, LA | $57,120 | $37,920 | $66,560 | $61,690 |
| 244 | South Bend, IN-MI | $57,100 | $37,900 | $66,560 | $61,490 |
| 245 | Winston, NC | $57,050 | $37,290 | $66,770 | $61,980 |
| 246 | Jonesboro, AR | $56,950 | $38,190 | $66,190 | $66,320 |
| 247 | Tallahassee, FL | $56,830 | $37,020 | $66,560 | $60,510 |
| 248 | Peoria, IL | $56,740 | $43,200 | $63,420 | $62,190 |
| 249 | Tucson, AZ | $56,740 | $36,710 | $66,620 | $58,560 |
| 250 | Gettysburg, PA | $56,660 | $40,330 | $64,690 | $59,410 |
| 251 | Odessa, TX | $56,640 | $37,170 | $66,230 | $60,320 |
| 252 | Yuba City, CA | $56,600 | $38,170 | $65,670 | $54,300 |
| 253 | College Station, TX | $56,560 | $35,130 | $67,100 | $62,190 |
| 254 | Punta Gorda, FL | $56,390 | $36,110 | $66,370 | $56,100 |
| 255 | Des Moines, IA | $56,330 | $41,160 | $63,790 | $61,430 |
| 256 | Wheeling, WV-OH | $56,220 | $40,330 | $64,060 | $63,650 |
| 257 | San Antonio, TX | $56,180 | $31,700 | $68,220 | $59,310 |
| 258 | Springfield, IL | $56,180 | $43,620 | $62,380 | $60,570 |
| 259 | La Crosse, WI-MN | $56,160 | $37,900 | $65,150 | $61,200 |
| 260 | Ogden, UT | $56,010 | $33,800 | $66,960 | $55,820 |
| 261 | Palm Bay, FL | $55,950 | $38,060 | $64,770 | $55,950 |
| 262 | Dalton, GA | $55,910 | $23,150 | $72,030 | $62,230 |
| 263 | Lakeland, FL | $55,890 | $38,310 | $64,560 | $57,530 |
| 264 | Hanford, CA | $55,850 | $37,250 | $65,000 | $54,960 |
| 265 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $55,810 | $34,590 | $66,270 | $59,960 |
| 266 | Saginaw, MI | $55,760 | $39,370 | $63,860 | $61,350 |
| 267 | Fairbanks, AK | $55,700 | $36,820 | $64,980 | $53,970 |
| 268 | Gulfport, MS | $55,640 | $34,920 | $65,830 | $61,820 |
| 269 | Huntington, WV-KY-OH | $55,540 | $35,940 | $65,210 | $62,810 |
| 270 | Erie, PA | $55,270 | $37,230 | $64,150 | $60,770 |
| 271 | Youngstown, OH | $55,160 | $37,520 | $63,860 | $63,120 |
| 272 | Hattiesburg, MS | $55,000 | $34,200 | $65,250 | $62,760 |
| 273 | Boise City, ID | $54,970 | $36,800 | $63,920 | $55,870 |
| 274 | Houston, TX | $54,810 | $31,470 | $66,310 | $55,570 |
| 275 | Bowling Green, KY | $54,770 | $33,840 | $65,080 | $60,730 |
| 276 | Hot Springs, AR | $54,720 | $37,020 | $63,440 | $63,830 |
| 277 | Dayton, OH | $54,660 | $37,540 | $63,110 | $58,970 |
| 278 | Iowa City, IA | $54,580 | $40,540 | $61,480 | $59,640 |
| 279 | Wichita, KS | $54,480 | $36,590 | $63,290 | $61,250 |
| 280 | Yuma, AZ | $54,310 | $34,490 | $64,060 | $58,580 |
| 281 | Tulsa, OK | $54,180 | $30,850 | $65,670 | $60,730 |
| 282 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $54,120 | $37,770 | $62,190 | $62,600 |
| 283 | Idaho Falls, ID | $54,000 | $29,540 | $66,040 | $57,200 |
| 284 | Killeen, TX | $53,770 | $34,720 | $63,150 | $59,000 |
| 285 | Panama City, FL | $53,770 | $34,320 | $63,360 | $55,260 |
| 286 | Altoona, PA | $53,750 | $33,920 | $63,500 | $60,050 |
| 287 | Provo, UT | $53,660 | $29,790 | $65,440 | $54,630 |
| 288 | Rockford, IL | $53,660 | $43,680 | $58,590 | $58,230 |
| 289 | Manhattan, KS | $53,580 | $38,250 | $61,110 | $59,430 |
| 290 | Texarkana, TX-AR | $53,500 | $28,620 | $65,730 | $63,680 |
| 291 | Pensacola, FL | $53,440 | $33,820 | $63,090 | $54,690 |
| 292 | Indianapolis, IN | $53,350 | $32,050 | $63,860 | $55,750 |
| 293 | Champaign, IL | $53,250 | $39,060 | $60,240 | $57,440 |
| 294 | Little Rock, AR | $53,100 | $36,820 | $61,110 | $59,420 |
| 295 | Davenport, IA-IL | $53,080 | $38,940 | $60,050 | $59,590 |
| 296 | Tyler, TX | $52,960 | $32,950 | $62,800 | $57,470 |
| 297 | Fort Wayne, IN | $52,920 | $35,240 | $61,630 | $57,170 |
| 298 | Bay City, MI | $52,730 | $38,940 | $59,510 | $57,360 |
| 299 | Sebring, FL | $52,690 | $34,610 | $61,590 | $56,980 |
| 300 | Dubuque, IA | $52,600 | $37,250 | $60,150 | $60,230 |
| 301 | Gainesville, FL | $52,400 | $34,570 | $61,170 | $54,170 |
| 302 | Lima, OH | $52,310 | $35,760 | $60,470 | $58,340 |
| 303 | Longview, TX | $52,040 | $32,800 | $61,530 | $58,150 |
| 304 | Owensboro, KY | $52,000 | $33,260 | $61,260 | $58,680 |
| 305 | Waco, TX | $51,750 | $34,380 | $60,300 | $55,920 |
| 306 | Kankakee, IL | $51,650 | $43,800 | $55,540 | $53,580 |
| 307 | Corpus Christi, TX | $51,310 | $33,240 | $60,220 | $55,370 |
| 308 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $50,920 | $38,900 | $56,850 | $57,240 |
| 309 | Abilene, TX | $50,880 | $31,620 | $60,360 | $56,310 |
| 310 | Amarillo, TX | $50,810 | $29,890 | $61,110 | $55,340 |
| 311 | Waterloo, IA | $50,750 | $37,360 | $57,350 | $58,300 |
| 312 | St. George, UT | $50,460 | $28,950 | $61,050 | $51,850 |
| 313 | Shreveport, LA | $50,340 | $34,570 | $58,120 | $59,390 |
| 314 | Baton Rouge, LA | $50,290 | $33,340 | $58,660 | $55,400 |
| 315 | Slidell, LA | $50,020 | $35,820 | $57,010 | $53,940 |
| 316 | San Angelo, TX | $49,940 | $32,180 | $58,680 | $54,020 |
| 317 | Laredo, TX | $49,820 | $31,950 | $58,610 | $57,290 |
| 318 | Paducah, KY-IL | $49,820 | $33,920 | $57,640 | $57,870 |
| 319 | Evansville, IN | $49,730 | $33,160 | $57,890 | $54,330 |
| 320 | Sherman, TX | $49,250 | $28,230 | $59,610 | $52,520 |
| 321 | El Paso, TX | $49,190 | $31,430 | $57,950 | $54,710 |
| 322 | Brownsville, TX | $49,050 | $30,990 | $57,930 | $57,050 |
| 323 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $48,710 | $40,600 | $52,690 | $53,750 |
| 324 | Lake Charles, LA | $48,530 | $33,130 | $56,120 | $56,530 |
| 325 | Lawrence, KS | $48,340 | $35,150 | $54,830 | $53,570 |
| 326 | Homosassa Springs, FL | $48,170 | $31,390 | $56,450 | $51,540 |
| 327 | Lake Havasu City, AZ | $47,610 | $34,050 | $54,310 | $50,600 |
| 328 | Rapid City, SD | $47,130 | $40,520 | $50,380 | $52,860 |
| 329 | Sierra Vista, AZ | $46,950 | $36,400 | $52,150 | $52,610 |
| 330 | Lafayette, IN | $46,030 | $31,720 | $53,080 | $49,270 |
| 331 | McAllen, TX | $45,910 | $29,580 | $53,930 | $53,450 |
| 332 | Hammond, LA | $45,700 | $34,170 | $51,380 | $54,110 |
| 333 | Lafayette, LA | $45,490 | $31,010 | $52,620 | $52,160 |
| 334 | Houma, LA | $43,280 | $24,520 | $52,520 | $50,860 |
| 335 | Monroe, LA | $43,260 | $31,450 | $49,070 | $51,750 |
| 336 | San Juan, PR | $43,240 | $25,500 | $51,980 | N/A |
| 337 | Muncie, IN | $42,850 | $29,970 | $49,170 | $48,610 |
| 338 | Aguadilla, PR | $37,290 | $24,750 | $43,450 | N/A |
| 339 | Mayaguez, PR | $36,960 | $23,150 | $43,760 | N/A |
| 340 | Ponce, PR | $36,230 | $23,030 | $42,740 | N/A |
More
More on chefs
Method
About these numbers
- Mean wages are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 estimates for each metropolitan statistical area, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 OFLC prevailing-wage file. Only metros with their own BLS estimate are listed.
- Entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) are the Department of Labor’s prevailing-wage levels for the occupation in that metro, used for employer visa filings. They are benchmarks from the same OEWS survey, not percentiles.
- OEWS top-codes wages at $115 an hour ($239,200 a year); top-coded means are shown as "$239,200+" and left out of rankings.
- At US prices divides the mean by the metro’s BEA Regional Price Parity (2024) over 100, a NueCareer calculation.
Questions
Chef salary by city: FAQ
Which city pays chefs the most?
Kahului, HI, where the average (mean) wage is $91,370 a year, followed by Napa, CA ($83,740), San Jose, CA ($80,140), Albany, NY ($79,500). The national mean is $66,700 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do chefs earn the most after cost of living?
Divided by each metro's BEA price level, pay goes furthest in Kahului, HI ($83,520 at national prices, $91,370 nominal), Sandusky, OH ($81,000 at national prices, $72,320 nominal), Terre Haute, IN ($80,200 at national prices, $70,410 nominal).
How much do chefs make in the biggest cities?
New York, NY-NJ: $74,840; Los Angeles, CA: $69,260; Chicago, IL-IN: $64,520; Dallas, TX: $66,870; Houston, TX: $54,810 (mean annual wage, BLS OEWS May 2025).
Where do chefs earn the least?
Of the 340 metro areas with their own estimate, Ponce, PR has the lowest mean wage, $36,230.