The salary statistics of chefs and head cooks in the industry sector of retail trade are shown in Table 1. In Table 2 we compare chefs and head cooks salaries in different industries within the retail trade sector.
| Percentile Bracket | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th Percentile Wage | $30,340 |
| 25th Percentile Wage | $35,440 |
| 50th Percentile Wage | $42,420 |
| 75th Percentile Wage | $53,540 |
| 90th Percentile Wage | $66,760 |
Table 1 shows the average annual salary for chefs and head cooks in the industry sector of retail trade. The salaries are shown in 5 percentile scales. The average annual salary for the 90th percentile (the top 10 percent of the highest paid) chefs and head cooks is $66,760. The median annual salary (50th percentile) is $42,420. The average annual salary for the bottom 10 percent paid chefs and head cooks is $30,340.
The table and chart below show the trend of the median salary of chefs and head cooks in the industry sector of retail trade from 2012 to 2018.
| Year | Median Salary | Yearly Growth | 6-Year Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | $42,420 | 3.68% | 12.87% |
| 2017 | $40,860 | 6.07% | - |
| 2016 | $38,380 | 2.53% | - |
| 2015 | $37,410 | 1.04% | - |
| 2014 | $37,020 | -1.16% | - |
| 2013 | $37,450 | 1.31% | - |
| 2012 | $36,960 | - | - |
The average salaries of chefs and head cooks in nine industries in the retail trade sector are shown below. We note that within this industry sector, the salaries vary among different industries. The highest paying industry for chefs and head cooks occupations is the general merchandise stores industry with an annual salary $48,200. The lowest paying industry is the sporting goods, hobby, and musical instrument stores industry (annual salary $30,270). For detailed chefs and head cooks salary information in a particular industry, use the links provided below.
Data source: The national compensation survey conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in 2018 and published in April 2019 [1].