Chefs and Head Cooks Salary
Chefs and Head Cooks in Maryland make a median of $61,590 a year, or about $29.61 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $100K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.76), that's roughly $62,363 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,795/month, about 44.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Maryland. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $62K get you in Maryland?
About chefs and head cooks
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What this looks like in Maryland
Chefs and head cooks pay in Maryland tracks closely to the national median, $62K locally vs. $62K nationwide, a 1% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,795/month, which is 44.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.76) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Maryland
Entry-level chefs and head cooks (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $62K. Top earners bring in $100K or more, a $62K spread from bottom to top.
Chefs and Head Cooks salary by metro in Maryland
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg | $60K | -3% | 40 |
| Salisbury | $59K | -3% | 50 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $59K | -4% | 1,740 |
| Lexington Park | $59K | -4% | 80 |
Compare to other states
Track chefs and head cooks salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Maryland numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a chefs and head cook afford a 2BR apartment alone in Maryland?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $62K, rent takes 44.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,795/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 Maryland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chefs and head cooks typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,299/month. At HUD’s $1,795/month FMR, rent would take 78% 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 Maryland?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $62K locally vs. $62K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Maryland compare to the national average for chefs and head cooks?
Maryland pays $62K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.76), the purchasing-power equivalent is $62K — below the national median.
How much do chefs and head cooks make in Maryland?
The median is $61,590 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,310, and experienced chefs and head cooks can clear $100,330. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $62K enough to live in Maryland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,065/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,795/month, which eats 44.2% 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 Maryland?
Maryland has a Regional Price Parity of 98.76 (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 $62,363 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.