35
Chefs and Head Cooks is a notable career in the 35 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Chefs and Head Cooks against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
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| soc | 35-1011 |
| title | Chefs and Head Cooks |
| onet code | 35-1011.00 |
| description | Direct and may participate in the preparation, seasoning, and cooking of salads, soups, fish, meats, vegetables, desserts, or other foods. May plan and price menu items, order supplies, and keep records and accounts. |
| job zone | 3 |
| major group | 35 |
| tot emp | 182,320 |
| a mean | 64,720 |
| a median | 60,990 |
| a pct10 | 36,000 |
| a pct25 | 47,710 |
| a pct75 | 76,790 |
| a pct90 | 96,030 |
| h mean | 31 |
| h median | 29 |
The day-to-day work of a chefs and head cooks typically centers on monitor sanitation practices to ensure that employees follow standards and regulations. Every task listed below is classified as Core in O*NET — they collectively define the role. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.
Workers in this occupation rely most on Coordination, Monitoring, and Speaking. Across the top 10 skills, the average O*NET importance score is 3.74 out of 5 — highly rated for this role. Importance reflects how essential each skill is for adequate job performance.
Among working chefs and head cooks, the most common entry qualification is a Associate's Degree (or other 2 (51.7%). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher credentials are reported by 10% of incumbents. Most workers enter without a four-year degree, making this a relatively accessible career path.
Median annual pay is highest in Hawaii at $81,200 and lowest in Louisiana at $38,340 — a 2.1× spread. The top five states (Hawaii, Rhode Island, North Dakota, District of Columbia, Massachusetts) average $76,464. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.
| State | Median | Mean | 10th % | 90th % | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $81,200 | $92,690 | $70,340 | $129,990 | 830 |
| Rhode Island | $79,160 | $87,950 | $64,990 | $122,840 | 700 |
| North Dakota | $76,630 | $71,280 | $45,550 | $98,020 | 90 |
| District of Columbia | $74,000 | $79,090 | $55,130 | $109,370 | 1,940 |
| Massachusetts | $71,330 | $75,900 | $48,070 | $111,360 | 5,330 |
| Washington | $69,800 | $71,430 | $49,920 | $97,970 | 3,840 |
| New Jersey | $69,660 | $75,020 | $53,250 | $99,510 | 6,060 |
| California | $66,780 | $71,350 | $45,500 | $100,580 | 26,500 |
| Delaware | $65,290 | $67,330 | $44,840 | $86,140 | 490 |
| Wyoming | $64,790 | $69,510 | $46,590 | $93,920 | 330 |
| New York | $64,300 | $70,200 | $42,150 | $100,730 | 15,420 |
| Colorado | $63,990 | $67,380 | $44,490 | $90,480 | 4,180 |
| Vermont | $63,270 | $68,650 | $52,000 | $89,250 | 530 |
| Alabama | $62,670 | $63,800 | $36,570 | $84,860 | 1,280 |
| Connecticut | $62,540 | $71,630 | $40,380 | $112,660 | 3,600 |
| Maryland | $61,990 | $64,130 | $37,440 | $93,110 | 3,310 |
| Arizona | $61,950 | $65,930 | $38,150 | $96,440 | 3,260 |
| Illinois | $61,450 | $63,360 | $35,290 | $95,830 | 5,540 |
| South Carolina | $61,290 | $64,050 | $42,810 | $88,430 | 2,000 |
| West Virginia | $60,790 | $65,150 | $38,490 | $105,560 | 310 |
| Oregon | $60,270 | $63,720 | $44,470 | $87,820 | 3,640 |
| Wisconsin | $60,170 | $62,300 | $32,180 | $90,560 | 2,130 |
| North Carolina | $59,810 | $66,330 | $42,290 | $98,580 | 4,100 |
| Virginia | $59,780 | $62,120 | $43,570 | $81,730 | 3,900 |
| Pennsylvania | $59,630 | $62,500 | $39,880 | $90,210 | 7,060 |
| Florida | $59,580 | $62,540 | $31,040 | $98,960 | 17,170 |
| Tennessee | $59,470 | $62,210 | $40,810 | $87,010 | 2,720 |
| Minnesota | $59,430 | $63,800 | $46,220 | $91,820 | 1,630 |
| Missouri | $59,220 | $62,180 | $35,720 | $90,960 | 1,590 |
| Nevada | $58,590 | $62,140 | $35,200 | $92,160 | 4,560 |
| Michigan | $58,430 | $59,170 | $38,730 | $77,030 | 5,310 |
| New Hampshire | $58,400 | $61,370 | $36,970 | $90,170 | 1,260 |
| Nebraska | $58,390 | $66,690 | $40,880 | $111,300 | 600 |
| Kansas | $58,290 | $60,920 | $35,590 | $87,960 | 980 |
| Alaska | $57,610 | $60,810 | $32,270 | $89,180 | 780 |
| Indiana | $57,140 | $60,190 | $36,620 | $90,060 | 1,140 |
| Ohio | $56,700 | $60,700 | $37,030 | $97,920 | 4,040 |
| Maine | $55,860 | $57,550 | $45,140 | $76,800 | 1,290 |
| Montana | $55,650 | $58,090 | $38,020 | $78,990 | 500 |
| New Mexico | $55,170 | $60,750 | $43,510 | $89,030 | 400 |
| Oklahoma | $53,310 | $51,420 | $17,120 | $78,090 | 1,210 |
| Georgia | $51,630 | $57,970 | $36,420 | $86,420 | 4,390 |
| Texas | $51,050 | $55,130 | $30,030 | $86,210 | 16,550 |
| Idaho | $50,010 | $54,940 | $36,000 | $79,740 | 420 |
| Arkansas | $49,060 | $56,450 | $35,820 | $85,380 | 950 |
| South Dakota | $46,510 | $47,900 | $37,640 | $55,390 | 290 |
| Mississippi | $44,990 | $50,150 | $28,580 | $80,420 | 950 |
| Utah | $44,490 | $50,400 | $27,110 | $80,010 | 1,880 |
| Kentucky | $44,220 | $51,800 | $27,110 | $87,550 | 1,860 |
| Iowa | $43,690 | $48,630 | $29,960 | $71,460 | 1,500 |
| Louisiana | $38,340 | $44,940 | $22,500 | $77,330 | 1,860 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for chefs and head cooks. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Banquet Chef or Cake Froster frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Chefs and Head Cooks compares to others in the 35 category. Use it to make informed decisions based on verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0.
careers with the closest data values to Chefs and Head Cooks
The CertifyWize editorial team aggregates and verifies careers data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
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