Chefs and Head Cooks Salary
Chefs and Head Cooks in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA make a median of $71,540 a year, or about $34.39 an hour. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $85K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.35), that's roughly $71,290 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,131/month, or 22.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $72K get you in Spokane-Spokane Valley?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Spokane-Spokane Valley’s Regional Price Parity (100.35). 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
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What this looks like in Spokane-Spokane Valley
Spokane-Spokane Valley sits well above the national pay line for chefs and head cooks, local pay runs about 15% higher than the U.S. median of $62K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,131/month, 23.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 100.35) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Spokane-Spokane Valley offers a genuinely strong financial position for chefs and head cookss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for chefs and head cooks in metros near Spokane-Spokane Valley, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $80K | $72K |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard | $75K | $71K |
| Bellingham | $70K | $68K |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater | $72K | $70K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
Entry-level chefs and head cooks (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $72K. Top earners bring in $85K or more, a $36K 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
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Frequently asked questions
Can a chefs and head cook afford a 2BR apartment alone in Spokane-Spokane Valley?
Yes — at the median salary of $72K, rent takes 23.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,131/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chefs and head cooks in Spokane-Spokane Valley?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chefs and head cooks typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,953/month. At HUD’s $1,131/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 Spokane-Spokane Valley?
Local pay is 15% above the national median — $72K here vs. $62K nationally.
How does Spokane-Spokane Valley compare to the national average for chefs and head cooks?
Spokane-Spokane Valley pays $72K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s +15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.35), the purchasing-power equivalent is $71K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do chefs and head cooks make in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA?
The median is $71,540 a year, that works out to about $34 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,210, and experienced chefs and head cooks can clear $84,900. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $72K enough to live in Spokane-Spokane Valley?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,893/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,131/month, which eats 23.1% 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 Spokane-Spokane Valley?
Spokane-Spokane Valley has a Regional Price Parity of 100.35 (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 $71,290 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.