Chefs and Head Cooks Salary
Chefs and Head Cooks in Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area make a median of $60,320 a year, or about $29 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $81K for experienced workers.
So what does $60K get you in Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area?
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area
Entry-level chefs and head cooks (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $60K. Top earners bring in $81K or more, a $43K spread from bottom to top.
Chefs and Head Cooks pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Chefs and Head Cooks salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | $80K | +28% | 740 |
| Hawaii | $77K | +24% | 1,240 |
| District of Columbia | $76K | +22% | 2,020 |
| Washington | $76K | +22% | 5,320 |
| North Dakota | $75K | +20% | 100 |
| New Jersey | $74K | +19% | 9,100 |
| Wyoming | $73K | +17% | 240 |
| South Carolina | $72K | +15% | 2,650 |
| New York | $71K | +13% | 17,430 |
| Tennessee | $70K | +12% | 3,820 |
| Massachusetts | $70K | +11% | 6,000 |
| Georgia | $66K | +6% | 3,680 |
| Vermont | $65K | +5% | 610 |
| Colorado | $65K | +5% | 3,970 |
| California | $65K | +3% | 31,670 |
| Missouri | $64K | +3% | 1,750 |
| Connecticut | $64K | +3% | 3,080 |
| Pennsylvania | $64K | +2% | 9,170 |
| Oregon | $64K | +2% | 2,510 |
| New Hampshire | $63K | +1% | 1,170 |
| Virginia | $63K | +1% | 3,600 |
| Minnesota | $63K | +0% | 1,730 |
| Alabama | $62K | -0% | 1,000 |
| Nevada | $62K | -0% | 3,940 |
| New Mexico | $62K | -0% | 770 |
| Maryland | $62K | -1% | 3,220 |
| Delaware | $61K | -2% | 590 |
| Wisconsin | $61K | -2% | 1,860 |
| North Carolina | $61K | -2% | 4,920 |
| West Virginia | $61K | -2% | 350 |
| Nebraska | $61K | -3% | 540 |
| Michigan | $60K | -4% | 5,360 |
| Arizona | $60K | -4% | 4,080 |
| Utah | $59K | -5% | 1,740 |
| Illinois | $59K | -6% | 8,290 |
| Oklahoma | $59K | -6% | 1,430 |
| Kansas | $58K | -7% | 860 |
| Florida | $58K | -7% | 19,670 |
| Montana | $57K | -8% | 720 |
| Maine | $57K | -9% | 1,250 |
| Texas | $56K | -10% | 13,270 |
| Mississippi | $55K | -12% | 840 |
| Ohio | $54K | -14% | 4,000 |
| Indiana | $52K | -16% | 1,940 |
| Alaska | $52K | -16% | 680 |
| Idaho | $52K | -17% | 550 |
| South Dakota | $48K | -22% | 300 |
| Kentucky | $48K | -23% | 1,790 |
| Iowa | $48K | -23% | 1,640 |
| Arkansas | $46K | -26% | 880 |
| Louisiana | $46K | -27% | 1,990 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track chefs and head cooks salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a chefs and head cook afford a 2BR apartment alone in Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area?
Yes — at the median salary of $60K, rent takes 29.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,183/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chefs and head cooks in Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chefs and head cooks typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,306/month.
Is chefs and head cook a high-paying job in Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $60K locally vs. $62K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area compare to the national average for chefs and head cooks?
Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area pays $60K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s -3%.
How much do chefs and head cooks make in Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area?
The median is $60,320 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,440, and experienced chefs and head cooks can clear $81,020. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $60K enough to live in Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,983/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,183/month, which eats 29.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a chefs and head cooks salary go in Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area?
Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median chefs and head cooks salary is worth about $60,320 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do chefs and head cooks get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.