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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Real salary distribution from 288 tracked cities across 46 states. Compare entry-level, median, and senior compensation — then adjust for cost of living.
If you're considering this career, the geography of pay matters. The national median salary for Chefs in 2026 is $64,980, with entry-level positions averaging $40,287 and senior roles reaching $94,220. But those numbers flatten a reality with enormous geographic variation — Sunnyvale pays a median of $118,720, while other markets fall well below the national average. We tracked 288 cities to build the complete picture.
Positioned in Food & Hospitality within the broader Hospitality industry, Chefs typically hold Culinary school or experience. The employment landscape is shaped by growing, and the day-to-day is kitchen shift-based. Those factors — education investment, demand trajectory, and work structure — all feed into the salary numbers below.
$72,240 separates the highest and lowest-paying cities. A Chef in Sunnyvale, California earns a median of $118,720 — $72,240 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($46,480). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent. That salary-to-cost ratio is genuinely competitive.
The three-tier salary picture for Chefs in 2026: $40,287 at entry (P10), $64,980 at midpoint, and $94,220 at the senior end (P90). Contrast that with the lowest-paying markets: The $53,933 range from bottom to top isn't just experience — it's geography, specialization, and industry mixed together. The median itself lands $15,387 below the national median household income of $80,367.
State averages smooth out the extremes — here's what they reveal: The top 3 paying cities (Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Irvine) average $110,880 — while the bottom 3 (Toledo, Detroit, Akron) average $46,853. That $64,027 gap means choosing the right city could be the equivalent of a major promotion. For early-career professionals, the geographic pay premium is worth the math.
A Chef in Sunnyvale, California earns a median of $118,720 — $72,240 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($46,480). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent.
The national average entry-level (P10) salary for Chef is $40,287, while senior-level (P90) earners average $94,220. That $53,933 trajectory represents the earning growth a career in this field can deliver.
| Country | Coverage | Entry (P10) | Median | Senior (P90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 288 | $40,287 | $64,980 | $94,220 |
| United Kingdom | 27 | £25,234 | £35,047 | £49,767 |
| Canada | 21 | CA$39,708 | CA$55,150 | CA$78,313 |
| Australia | 13 | A$46,212 | A$64,183 | A$91,140 |
| Sweden | 24 | 288,929 kr | 401,290 kr | 569,832 kr |
| State | Cities | Entry (P10) | Median | Senior (P90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 61 | $48,773 | $78,666 | $114,066 |
| Massachusetts | 4 | $47,133 | $76,020 | $110,229 |
| Hawaii | 1 | $46,872 | $75,600 | $109,620 |
| District of Columbia | 1 | $43,400 | $70,000 | $101,500 |
| New Jersey | 4 | $42,879 | $69,160 | $100,282 |
| Washington | 8 | $42,055 | $67,830 | $98,354 |
| New York | 5 | $39,581 | $63,840 | $92,568 |
| Rhode Island | 1 | $39,581 | $63,840 | $92,568 |
| Florida | 22 | $39,281 | $63,356 | $91,867 |
| Colorado | 11 | $38,602 | $62,262 | $90,280 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | $38,539 | $62,160 | $90,132 |
| Nevada | 5 | $38,470 | $62,048 | $89,970 |
| Arizona | 12 | $38,279 | $61,740 | $89,523 |
| Oregon | 5 | $38,192 | $61,600 | $89,320 |
| Idaho | 3 | $38,076 | $61,413 | $89,049 |
| Connecticut | 5 | $37,775 | $60,928 | $88,346 |
| Utah | 4 | $37,671 | $60,760 | $88,102 |
| Virginia | 7 | $37,051 | $59,760 | $86,652 |
| South Carolina | 3 | $36,572 | $58,987 | $85,531 |
| Alaska | 1 | $36,456 | $58,800 | $85,260 |
| Illinois | 5 | $36,039 | $58,128 | $84,286 |
| North Carolina | 9 | $35,144 | $56,684 | $82,192 |
| New Mexico | 3 | $34,720 | $56,000 | $81,200 |
| Montana | 1 | $34,720 | $56,000 | $81,200 |
| Tennessee | 6 | $34,604 | $55,813 | $80,929 |
| Texas | 40 | $34,434 | $55,538 | $80,530 |
| Minnesota | 2 | $34,373 | $55,440 | $80,388 |
| Wisconsin | 2 | $34,199 | $55,160 | $79,982 |
| Georgia | 6 | $34,084 | $54,973 | $79,711 |
| Pennsylvania | 3 | $34,026 | $54,880 | $79,576 |
| Kansas | 4 | $33,852 | $54,600 | $79,170 |
| Michigan | 6 | $33,737 | $54,413 | $78,899 |
| Kentucky | 2 | $33,332 | $53,760 | $77,952 |
| Maryland | 1 | $33,331 | $53,760 | $77,952 |
| Nebraska | 2 | $32,984 | $53,200 | $77,140 |
| South Dakota | 1 | $32,984 | $53,200 | $77,140 |
| Oklahoma | 4 | $32,116 | $51,800 | $75,110 |
| North Dakota | 1 | $31,942 | $51,520 | $74,704 |
| Louisiana | 4 | $31,508 | $50,820 | $73,689 |
| Missouri | 4 | $31,509 | $50,820 | $73,689 |
| Alabama | 5 | $31,387 | $50,624 | $73,405 |
| Indiana | 3 | $30,901 | $49,840 | $72,268 |
| Arkansas | 1 | $30,901 | $49,840 | $72,268 |
| Iowa | 2 | $30,554 | $49,280 | $71,456 |
| Ohio | 6 | $30,496 | $49,187 | $71,321 |
| Mississippi | 1 | $29,165 | $47,040 | $68,208 |
Geography shapes Chef pay in predictable and not-so-predictable ways. California tops the state leaderboard at $78,666 median, with 61 cities providing data. Massachusetts and Hawaii follow. On the flip side, Mississippi and Ohio anchor the bottom — reflecting lower local cost structures and smaller metro premiums.
When you adjust the top-paying cities for cost of living, the ranking reshuffles. Sunnyvale ($118,720 nominal, 212 cost index) delivers $56,000 in purchasing power — maintaining its lead even after cost adjustment. This is the metric that matters for anyone considering a geo-based career move.
Raw salary divided by the local cost index — this shows where your paycheck buys the most.
| # | City | Nominal Salary | Cost Index | Adjusted Salary | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunnyvale California | $118,720 | 212 | $56,000 | $72,313 |
| 2 | Santa Clara California | $110,880 | 198 | $56,000 | $67,997 |
| 3 | Irvine California | $103,040 | 184 | $56,000 | $63,681 |
| 4 | San Francisco California | $101,360 | 181 | $56,000 | $62,756 |
| 5 | Carlsbad California | $99,680 | 178 | $56,000 | $61,814 |
| 6 | San Jose California | $99,120 | 177 | $56,000 | $61,495 |
| 7 | Fremont California | $99,120 | 177 | $56,000 | $61,495 |
| 8 | Berkeley California | $96,880 | 173 | $56,000 | $60,217 |
| 9 | Costa Mesa California | $96,880 | 173 | $56,000 | $60,217 |
| 10 | Huntington Beach California | $94,640 | 169 | $56,000 | $58,939 |
The $53,933 gap between P10 and P90 represents the earning trajectory of a Chef career. Senior-level earners make 2.3× what entry-level professionals do — a solid progression that justifies the upfront investment. In the Hospitality sector, growing, which shapes both starting salaries and long-term ceiling.
The weighted national median salary for Chefs is $64,980 in 2026, based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics across 288 U.S. metro areas. Entry-level (10th percentile) averages $40,287, while experienced professionals at the 90th percentile average $94,220.
The highest-paying city for Chefs is Sunnyvale, California with a median salary of $118,720. The top 3 cities are Sunnyvale ($118,720), Santa Clara ($110,880), Irvine ($103,040). Note: high-paying cities often have higher costs of living — check the cost-adjusted rankings above for purchasing power.
The lowest median Chef salary in our data is in Toledo, Ohio at $46,480. However, lower-paying cities often have significantly lower costs of living, which can offset the pay gap. Always compare salary data alongside local cost of living.
Entry-level Chefs (10th percentile) average $40,287 nationally. This varies by city — in the highest-paying markets, entry-level pay can be close to $73,606. Experience, certifications, and employer type all influence starting salary.
At the 90th percentile (senior level), Chefs average $94,220 nationally — $53,933 more than entry-level. In top-paying cities, senior Chefs can earn up to $172,144.
The top-paying states for Chefs are California ($78,666 median), Massachusetts ($76,020 median), Hawaii ($75,600 median). State averages are computed across all tracked cities in each state, weighted equally.
The typical education path for a Chef involves Culinary school or experience. The field is in the Hospitality sector (Food & Hospitality), and the career outlook is growing. Work style is typically kitchen shift-based.
With a national median of $64,980 and representation across 288 metro areas, Chef offers a foundation that can be strengthened by strategic location choices. The $53,933 gap between entry and senior pay shows room for salary growth. Industry outlook: growing.
All salary data on this page is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, which surveys employers across U.S. metropolitan areas. We present 10th percentile (entry), 50th percentile (median), and 90th percentile (senior) pay benchmarks. Cost-of-living adjustments use our core database of 288 cities.
Salary data is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, which surveys employers across U.S. metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas. We present the 10th percentile (entry-level), 50th percentile (median), and 90th percentile (senior) pay benchmarks.
Cost-of-living adjustments use Livably's core index derived from Zillow rent data, Census income surveys, and regional BLS price data. Take-home pay estimates apply simplified federal brackets, 7.65% FICA, and state income tax rates from the Tax Foundation.
State and national averages are computed as simple means across all tracked cities with data for this occupation. Rankings are updated monthly as new BLS releases become available.