Chefs and Head Cooks Salary
Chefs and Head Cooks in Mayaguez, PR make a median of $26,440 a year, or about $12.71 an hour. The range runs from $23K at the entry level to $53K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100), that's roughly $26,440 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $530/month, or 28.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $26K get you in Mayaguez?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Mayaguez’s Regional Price Parity (100). 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.
About chefs and head cooks
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Mayaguez
Pay for chefs and head cooks in Mayaguez runs about 58% below the U.S. median of $62K. Rent runs $530/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 100) 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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for chefs and head cooks in metros near Mayaguez, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas | $36K | $36K |
| Aguadilla | $31K | $31K |
| Ponce | $31K | $31K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Mayaguez, PR
Entry-level chefs and head cooks (10th percentile) start around $23K. Mid-career wages sit at $26K. Top earners bring in $53K or more, a $30K 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 Mayaguez numbers change.
Related careers in Food Service
Frequently asked questions
Can a chefs and head cook afford a 2BR apartment alone in Mayaguez?
Yes — at the median salary of $26K, rent takes 27.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $530/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chefs and head cooks in Mayaguez?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chefs and head cooks typically earn — is $23K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,378/month. At HUD’s $530/month FMR, rent would take 38% 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 Mayaguez?
Local pay runs 58% below the national median — $26K here vs. $62K nationally.
How does Mayaguez compare to the national average for chefs and head cooks?
Mayaguez pays $26K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s -58%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100), the purchasing-power equivalent is $26K — below the national median.
How much do chefs and head cooks make in Mayaguez, PR?
The median is $26,440 a year, that works out to about $13 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $22,960, and experienced chefs and head cooks can clear $53,060. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $26K enough to live in Mayaguez?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $1,940/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $530/month, which eats 27.3% 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 Mayaguez?
Mayaguez 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 $26,440 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.