Average Salary

• In May 2009 the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics gathered wage data from nearly 94,000 individuals working as head chefs and head cooks. It calculated that the average annual salary for the occupation was $44,240. This equates to a monthly income of $3,687, and an hourly pay rate of $21.27. Those practitioners in the top 10 percent of earners received an average of $69,560, while their contemporaries in the lowest 10 percent earned an average of $22,860.
  
  

Salary by Industry

• The bureau found that the majority of head chefs are employed by full-service restaurants and traveler accommodation --- hotel restaurants. It listed the average wage for a head chef in these sectors as $41,750 and 50,880, respectively. Other employment opportunities exist for head chefs in special food services and limited-service eating places. The average salaries in these sectors of the industry were given as $45,340 and $33,850, respectively.
  
  

Salary by Experience

• Salary comparison website PayScale.com analyzed how experience impacts upon the wage a head chef receives. It listed the average wage for a head chef with less than 12 months in the trade as between $27,000 and $40,452. An individual with one to four years experience received between $35,106 and $48,297, while the accrual of five to nine years brought compensation of between $38,202 and $56,967 A head chef with 10 to 19 years in the profession earned between $42,982 and $64,049 while a veteran of 20 years or more received between $48,821 and $74,042.
  
  

Salary by Location

• The bureau also analyzed how geographical location affects a head chef's pay packet. It found that New Jersey, Rhode Island and Connecticut were the states in which a head chef was likely to secure the highest wage levels, with averages of $59,120, $56,120 and $54,480, respectively. By way of contrast, Idaho was listed at $25,060. At the metropolitan district level, the New York, White Plains, Wayne area of New York State had the highest wages, averaging $80,940, while Brunswick, Georgia was listed at $28,450.
  
  

Outlook

• The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects employment opportunities for head chefs, and other food preparation occupations, to increase by around 6 percent during the years from 2008 to 2018. This growth will be fueled by an expanding population demanding greater variety of eating options, with the time and disposable income to go to restaurants. As such, wage levels should remain competitive. However, competition for places at upscale restaurants, which pay the most, will be very keen.