The average salary for a culinary chef in the United States is around $21,145 per year.
Avg Salary
Culinary chefs earn an average yearly salary of $21,145.
Wages typically start from $12,934 and go up to $34,568.
66% below national average Updated in 2023
Culinary chef earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level culinary chef earnings begin at:
$16.62 per hour
$34,568 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level culinary chef earnings begin at:
$13.17 per hour
$27,388 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level culinary chef earnings begin at:
$10.17 per hour
$21,145 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level culinary chef earnings begin at:
$7.85 per hour
$16,325 per year
10th percentile
Starting level culinary chef earnings begin at:
$6.22 per hour
$12,934 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Culinary chef salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $78,530 |
| New Jersey | $75,410 |
| Massachusetts | $64,560 |
| Rhode Island | $64,560 |
| Alabama | $62,310 |
| Maryland | $61,490 |
| Washington | $60,720 |
| District of Columbia | $60,340 |
| Arizona | $59,770 |
| New York | $59,770 |
| New Hampshire | $59,380 |
| Pennsylvania | $58,550 |
| Indiana | $55,650 |
| Virginia | $52,050 |
| West Virginia | $51,810 |
| Florida | $51,560 |
| Oregon | $51,190 |
| California | $50,570 |
| Ohio | $50,510 |
| Maine | $50,420 |
| Tennessee | $50,400 |
| Colorado | $50,360 |
| Wyoming | $50,130 |
| Wisconsin | $50,110 |
| Delaware | $50,080 |
| Nevada | $49,820 |
| North Carolina | $49,700 |
| Alaska | $49,660 |
| Connecticut | $49,480 |
| Missouri | $49,030 |
| Oklahoma | $48,970 |
| Nebraska | $48,910 |
| Georgia | $48,550 |
| Michigan | $48,500 |
| Vermont | $48,030 |
| North Dakota | $47,900 |
| Mississippi | $47,750 |
| Utah | $46,910 |
| Louisiana | $46,640 |
| New Mexico | $46,470 |
| Kentucky | $46,180 |
| South Carolina | $45,770 |
| South Dakota | $45,230 |
| Illinois | $45,200 |
| Kansas | $44,690 |
| Minnesota | $44,560 |
| Texas | $43,280 |
| Arkansas | $42,860 |
| Montana | $40,760 |
| Guam | $39,340 |
| Iowa | $38,730 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | $36,750 |
| Idaho | $31,920 |
| Puerto Rico | $28,360 |
How do culinary chef salaries compare to similar careers?
Culinary chefs earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than personal chefs but more than bakers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Personal chef salary | $37K |
| Brewmaster salary | $34K |
| Restaurant manager salary | $32K |
| Dietetic technician salary | $32K |
| Bartender salary | $26K |
| Culinary chef salary | $21K |
| Barista salary | $18K |
| Butcher salary | $13K |
| Food batchmaker salary | $6K |
| Baker salary | $6K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)