Chefs and Head Cooks Salary
Chefs and Head Cooks in Pennsylvania make a median of $63,860 a year, or about $30.7 an hour. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $96K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $67,242 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,351/month, about 31.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $64K get you in Pennsylvania?
About chefs and head cooks
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What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Chefs and head cooks pay in Pennsylvania tracks closely to the national median, $64K locally vs. $62K nationwide, a 2% difference. Rent runs $1,351/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pennsylvania
Entry-level chefs and head cooks (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $64K. Top earners bring in $96K or more, a $57K spread from bottom to top.
Chefs and Head Cooks salary by metro in Pennsylvania
16 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | $67K | +5% | 210 |
| Pittsburgh | $66K | +4% | 1,340 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $66K | +3% | 5,700 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $63K | -1% | 570 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $61K | -5% | 450 |
| Chambersburg | $60K | -6% | 50 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $60K | -7% | 400 |
| State College | $59K | -8% | 120 |
| Lancaster | $58K | -9% | 280 |
| York-Hanover | $57K | -11% | 160 |
| Johnstown | $56K | -12% | 70 |
| Lebanon | $53K | -17% | 70 |
| Gettysburg | $52K | -19% | 50 |
| Erie | $51K | -20% | 150 |
| Altoona | $49K | -23% | 60 |
| Williamsport | $48K | -25% | 80 |
Showing 1–10 of 16 metros
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Pennsylvania numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a chefs and head cook afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $64K, rent takes 31.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/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 Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chefs and head cooks typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,342/month. At HUD’s $1,351/month FMR, rent would take 58% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $64K locally vs. $62K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for chefs and head cooks?
Pennsylvania pays $64K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $67K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do chefs and head cooks make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $63,860 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,040, and experienced chefs and head cooks can clear $95,830. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $64K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,279/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 31.6% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a Regional Price Parity of 94.97 (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 $67,242 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.