Chefs and Head Cooks Salary
Chefs and Head Cooks in Springfield, MO make a median of $67,460 a year, or about $32.43 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.58), which stretches that salary to about $76,157 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,095/month, or 24.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $67K get you in Springfield?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Springfield’s Regional Price Parity (88.58). 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 Springfield
Chefs and head cooks pay in Springfield tracks closely to the national median, $67K locally vs. $62K nationwide, a 8% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,095/month, 24.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.58 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for chefs and head cooks in metros near Springfield, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | $64K | $68K |
| Kansas City | $64K | $69K |
| Columbia | $53K | $59K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $61K | $59K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Springfield, MO
Entry-level chefs and head cooks (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $67K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $41K 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 Springfield numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a chefs and head cook afford a 2BR apartment alone in Springfield?
Yes — at the median salary of $67K, rent takes 24.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,095/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chefs and head cooks in Springfield?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chefs and head cooks typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,218/month. At HUD’s $1,095/month FMR, rent would take 49% 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 Springfield?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $67K locally vs. $62K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Springfield compare to the national average for chefs and head cooks?
Springfield pays $67K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s +8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.58), the purchasing-power equivalent is $76K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do chefs and head cooks make in Springfield, MO?
The median is $67,460 a year, that works out to about $32 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,960, and experienced chefs and head cooks can clear $77,790. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $67K enough to live in Springfield?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,452/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,095/month, which eats 24.6% 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 Springfield?
Springfield has a Regional Price Parity of 88.58 (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 $76,157 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.