Chefs and Head Cooks Salary in Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA
Chefs and Head Cooks in Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA make a median of $48,130 a year, or about $23.14 an hour. The range runs from $30K at the entry level to $76K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 86.45), which stretches that salary to about $55,674 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,044/month — about 30.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $48K get you in Kingsport-Bristol?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Kingsport-Bristol’s Regional Price Parity (86.45). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA
Entry-level chefs and head cooks (10th percentile) start around $30K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $76K or more, a $46K spread from bottom to top.
Chefs and Head Cooks pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $81K | +33% | 830 |
| Rhode Island | $79K | +30% | 700 |
| North Dakota | $77K | +26% | 90 |
| District of Columbia | $74K | +21% | 1,940 |
| Massachusetts | $71K | +17% | 5,330 |
| Washington | $70K | +14% | 3,840 |
| New Jersey | $70K | +14% | 6,060 |
| California | $67K | +9% | 26,500 |
| Delaware | $65K | +7% | 490 |
| Wyoming | $65K | +6% | 330 |
| New York | $64K | +5% | 15,420 |
| Vermont | $63K | +4% | 530 |
| Alabama | $63K | +3% | 1,280 |
| Connecticut | $63K | +3% | 3,600 |
| Maryland | $62K | +2% | 3,310 |
| Arizona | $62K | +2% | 3,260 |
| Illinois | $61K | +1% | 5,540 |
| South Carolina | $61K | +0% | 2,000 |
| West Virginia | $61K | -0% | 310 |
| Oregon | $60K | -1% | 3,640 |
| Wisconsin | $60K | -1% | 2,130 |
| North Carolina | $60K | -2% | 4,100 |
| Virginia | $60K | -2% | 3,900 |
| Pennsylvania | $60K | -2% | 7,060 |
| Florida | $60K | -2% | 17,170 |
| Tennessee | $59K | -2% | 2,720 |
| Minnesota | $59K | -3% | 1,630 |
| Missouri | $59K | -3% | 1,590 |
| Nevada | $59K | -4% | 4,560 |
| Michigan | $58K | -4% | 5,310 |
| New Hampshire | $58K | -4% | 1,260 |
| Nebraska | $58K | -4% | 600 |
| Kansas | $58K | -4% | 980 |
| Alaska | $58K | -6% | 780 |
| Indiana | $57K | -6% | 1,140 |
| Ohio | $57K | -7% | 4,040 |
| Maine | $56K | -8% | 1,290 |
| Montana | $56K | -9% | 500 |
| New Mexico | $55K | -10% | 400 |
| Oklahoma | $53K | -13% | 1,210 |
| Georgia | $52K | -15% | 4,390 |
| Texas | $51K | -16% | 16,550 |
| Idaho | $50K | -18% | 420 |
| Arkansas | $49K | -20% | 950 |
| South Dakota | $47K | -24% | 290 |
| Mississippi | $45K | -26% | 950 |
| Utah | $44K | -27% | 1,880 |
| Kentucky | $44K | -27% | 1,860 |
| Iowa | $44K | -28% | 1,500 |
| Louisiana | $38K | -37% | 1,860 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track chefs and head cooks salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kingsport-Bristol numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
How much do chefs and head cooks make in Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA?
The median is $48,130 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $30,020, and experienced chefs and head cooks can clear $75,600. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Kingsport-Bristol?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,393/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,044/month, which eats 30.8% 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 Kingsport-Bristol?
Kingsport-Bristol has a Regional Price Parity of 86.45 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median chefs and head cooks salary is worth about $55,674 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.