National Salary Info » Chefs and Head Cooks

Highest Paying Industries for Chefs and Head Cooks

The top 100 highest paying industries for chefs and head cooks (ranked by average annual salary) are listed in Table 1. The entry level salary (as measured by the salary of the lowest 10% paid earners) and the number of employment in those industries are also shown. As shown in the table, with an average annual salary of $69,300, management, scientific, and technical consulting services is the highest paying industry for chefs and head cooks. It is followed by federal government, including usps industry (average annual salary $65,610). The salary and employment information is computed from data published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2015 [1]. For more information about salaries of chefs and head cooks in a specific industry, use the links in the table.

Table 1. 100 Highest Paying Industries for Chefs and Head Cooks

Rank	Industry	Average Salary i	Entry Level Salary i	# of Empl. i
1	Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services	$69,300	$33,050	40
2	Federal government, including USPS	$65,610	$56,260	1,530
3	Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation)	$65,610	$56,260	1,530
4	Technical and trade schools - Privately owned	$64,270	$31,360	40
5	Technical and Trade Schools	$64,270	$31,360	40
6	Federal, State, and Local Government (OES Designation)	$62,940	$41,510	2,130
7	Federal, State, and Local Government	$62,940	$41,510	2,130
8	Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities	$58,040	$39,390	30
9	Public sector -- Federal, state, and local government, including government owned schools and hospit	$54,650	$29,130	4,620
10	State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)	$54,590	$36,250	260
11	Activities Related to Real Estate	$54,480	$31,020	50
12	Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation	$54,430	$29,850	140
13	Information	$53,450	$25,710	100
14	Finance and Insurance	$52,670	$37,580	70
15	Scientific Research and Development Services	$52,460	$31,930	60
16	Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences	$52,390	$32,440	60
17	Personal and Laundry Services	$52,230	$28,350	40
18	Other Support Services	$52,120	$27,080	50
19	Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	$50,870	$25,090	180
20	Junior colleges - Local government owned	$49,750	$25,990	40
21	Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing	$49,720	$24,810	70
22	Specialty hospitals - Privately owned	$49,490	$36,030	50
23	Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals	$49,490	$36,030	50
24	Management of Companies and Enterprises	$49,170	$33,040	1,090
25	Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers	$49,070	$29,120	990
26	Office Administrative Services	$48,920	$33,840	230
27	Traveler Accommodation	$48,140	$28,230	13,760
28	Accommodation	$48,020	$28,190	13,980
29	Colleges, universities, and professional schools - Privately owned	$47,880	$29,680	n/a
30	Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions	$47,720	$27,090	80
31	Casino Hotels	$47,590	$32,670	2,830
32	Elementary and Secondary Schools - Privately owned	$47,520	$22,280	80
33	Other Amusement and Recreation Industries	$47,510	$27,910	6,600
34	Real Estate and Rental and Leasing	$47,500	$26,210	300
35	Water Transportation	$47,430	$24,810	210
36	Educational Services - Privately owned	$47,330	$27,580	540
37	State government, including schools and hospitals	$47,240	$32,530	820
38	Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events	$47,240	$24,510	150
39	Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries	$46,920	$27,800	8,150
40	Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation	$46,890	$27,730	8,510
41	Real Estate	$46,720	$25,800	280
42	Hospitals - Privately owned	$45,990	$31,210	970
43	General Medical and Surgical Hospitals - Privately owned	$45,940	$31,090	890
44	Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools	$45,890	$31,450	850
45	Transportation and Warehousing	$45,880	$24,940	310
46	Hospitals (including private, state, and local government hospitals)	$45,750	$31,130	1,090
47	General Medical and Surgical Hospitals	$45,710	$31,080	980
48	Specialty Food Stores	$45,610	$30,980	90
49	Civic and Social Organizations	$45,600	$23,250	730
50	Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries	$45,520	$26,030	280
51	Lessors of Real Estate	$45,210	$25,060	220
52	Administrative and Support Services	$44,970	$28,510	730
53	Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services	$44,970	$28,510	730
54	Gambling Industries	$44,850	$27,770	1,430
55	Amusement Parks and Arcades	$44,780	$23,990	130
56	Colleges, universities, and professional schools - State government owned	$44,480	$32,170	450
57	Vending Machine Operators	$44,480	$29,300	80
58	Wholesale Trade	$44,470	$25,690	240
59	Other Services (except Federal, State, and Local Government)	$44,440	$22,960	940
60	Spectator Sports	$44,400	$26,170	90
61	Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)	$44,330	$25,510	340
62	Educational Services - State government owned	$44,300	$31,810	490
63	Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities	$44,110	$31,040	60
64	Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations	$43,910	$28,130	110
65	Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations	$43,900	$22,600	900
66	Junior Colleges (including private, state, and local government schools)	$43,900	$25,200	60
67	Special Food Services	$43,660	$25,950	13,280
68	Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation	$43,660	$24,670	80
69	Beverage Manufacturing	$43,660	$26,870	130
70	Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing	$43,660	$26,870	130
71	Other Food Manufacturing	$43,660	$22,810	210
72	Health Care and Social Assistance	$43,550	$27,500	3,270
73	Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods	$43,380	$25,290	200
74	Performing Arts Companies	$43,340	$27,570	50
75	Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities	$43,170	$30,360	70
76	Nonstore Retailers	$43,160	$27,920	100
77	Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly	$43,010	$27,010	1,340
78	Grocery and Related Product Merchant Wholesalers	$42,920	$25,190	190
79	Nursing and Residential Care Facilities	$42,690	$27,050	1,790
80	Employment Services	$42,560	$25,250	290
81	Ambulatory Health Care Services	$42,100	$30,910	40
82	Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters	$42,050	$27,270	40
83	Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities)	$41,710	$27,030	360
84	Local government, including schools and hospitals	$41,560	$24,880	2,270
85	Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals	$41,540	$29,000	60
86	Construction	$41,120	$21,780	40
87	Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water	$40,910	$25,450	60
88	Accommodation and Food Services	$40,590	$22,370	94,250
89	Educational Services	$40,450	$24,790	1,700
90	Facilities Support Services	$40,430	$31,220	90
91	General Merchandise Stores	$40,210	$32,340	40
92	Temporary Help Services	$39,630	$25,800	50
93	Social Assistance	$39,270	$19,640	350
94	Full-Service Restaurants	$39,040	$21,730	56,970
95	Food Services and Drinking Places	$39,010	$21,830	80,270
96	Manufacturing	$38,870	$22,690	1,220
97	Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services	$38,820	$25,380	160
98	Restaurants and Other Eating Places	$38,330	$21,320	65,760
99	Food Manufacturing	$37,820	$22,160	1,040
100	RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Recreational Camps	$37,340	$23,400	110