Chefs and Head Cooks Salary
Chefs and Head Cooks in Hawaii make a median of $77,360 a year, or about $37.19 an hour. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $118K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 110.17), so that salary is closer to $70,219 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,240/month, about 44.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Hawaii. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $77K get you in Hawaii?
About chefs and head cooks
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What this looks like in Hawaii
Hawaii sits well above the national pay line for chefs and head cooks, local pay runs about 24% higher than the U.S. median of $62K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,240/month, which is 46.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 10% above the national average (BEA RPP 110.17), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Hawaii
Entry-level chefs and head cooks (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $77K. Top earners bring in $118K or more, a $69K spread from bottom to top.
Chefs and Head Cooks salary by metro in Hawaii
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kahului-Wailuku | $85K | +10% | 250 |
| Urban Honolulu | $74K | -4% | 740 |
Compare to other states
Track chefs and head cooks salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Hawaii numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a chefs and head cook afford a 2BR apartment alone in Hawaii?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $77K, rent takes 46.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,240/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for chefs and head cooks in Hawaii?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chefs and head cooks typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,938/month. At HUD’s $2,240/month FMR, rent would take 76% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is chefs and head cook a high-paying job in Hawaii?
Local pay is 24% above the national median — $77K here vs. $62K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 10% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Hawaii compare to the national average for chefs and head cooks?
Hawaii pays $77K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s +24%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 110.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $70K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do chefs and head cooks make in Hawaii?
The median is $77,360 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,970, and experienced chefs and head cooks can clear $118,000. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $77K enough to live in Hawaii?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,780/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,240/month, which eats 46.9% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a chefs and head cooks salary go in Hawaii?
Hawaii has a Regional Price Parity of 110.17 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median chefs and head cooks salary is worth about $70,219 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.