The average salary for a culinary chef in the United States is around $37,904 per year.
Avg Salary
Culinary chefs earn an average yearly salary of $37,904.
Wages typically start from $20,868 and go up to $68,847.
36% below national average Updated in 2019
Culinary chef earnings by seniority
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Culinary chef salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $51,660 |
| Alabama | $47,030 |
| Arkansas | $40,300 |
| Arizona | $34,489 |
| California | $46,360 |
| Colorado | $49,830 |
| Connecticut | $49,546 |
| District of Columbia | $63,150 |
| Delaware | $57,340 |
| Florida | $48,710 |
| Georgia | $51,330 |
| Guam | $23,800 |
| Hawaii | $74,510 |
| Iowa | $39,604 |
| Idaho | $38,590 |
| Illinois | $39,758 |
| Indiana | $49,450 |
| Kansas | $39,457 |
| Kentucky | $45,082 |
| Louisiana | $45,730 |
| Massachusetts | $56,070 |
| Maryland | $49,390 |
| Maine | $48,780 |
| Michigan | $48,320 |
| Minnesota | $48,580 |
| Missouri | $49,250 |
| Mississippi | $47,750 |
| Montana | $43,030 |
| North Carolina | $47,070 |
| North Dakota | $45,420 |
| Nebraska | $40,970 |
| New Hampshire | $51,790 |
| New Jersey | $66,790 |
| New Mexico | $50,220 |
| Nevada | $52,930 |
| New York | $52,010 |
| Ohio | $40,270 |
| Oklahoma | $42,140 |
| Oregon | $46,790 |
| Pennsylvania | $38,402 |
| Puerto Rico | $32,380 |
| Rhode Island | $54,360 |
| South Carolina | $38,460 |
| South Dakota | $43,800 |
| Tennessee | $45,890 |
| Texas | $50,580 |
| Utah | $38,180 |
| Virginia | $53,000 |
| Virgin Islands | $47,200 |
| Vermont | $42,770 |
| Washington | $56,450 |
| Wisconsin | $40,480 |
| West Virginia | $58,570 |
| Wyoming | $56,150 |
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 registered dietitian nutritionists but more than butchers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Registered dietitian nutritionist salary | $61K |
| Brewmaster salary | $41K |
| Culinary chef salary | $38K |
| Restaurant manager salary | $38K |
| Bartender salary | $38K |
| Personal chef salary | $36K |
| Butcher salary | $34K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)