The average salary for a culinary chef in the United States is around $50,160 per year.
Avg Salary
Culinary chefs earn an average yearly salary of $50,160.
Wages typically start from $30,910 and go up to $84,570.
16% below national average Updated in 2021
Culinary chef earnings by seniority
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 14% more than similar careers in the United States. On average, they make less than registered dietitian but more than butchers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Registered dietitian salary | $62K |
| Restaurant manager salary | $59K |
| Culinary chef salary | $50K |
| Brewmaster salary | $46K |
| Personal chef salary | $43K |
| Food batchmaker salary | $36K |
| Butcher salary | $36K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)