Chefs and Head Cooks Salary
Chefs and Head Cooks in Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA make a median of $73,690 a year, or about $35.43 an hour. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $81K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.86), that's roughly $70,951 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,500/month, or 29.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $74K get you in Wenatchee-East Wenatchee?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Wenatchee-East Wenatchee’s Regional Price Parity (103.86). 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 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee
Wenatchee-East Wenatchee sits well above the national pay line for chefs and head cooks, local pay runs about 18% higher than the U.S. median of $62K. Rent runs $1,500/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 103.86) 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 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $80K | $72K |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | $72K | $71K |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater | $72K | $70K |
| Bellingham | $70K | $68K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA
Entry-level chefs and head cooks (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $74K. Top earners bring in $81K or more, a $34K 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 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee?
Yes — at the median salary of $74K, rent takes 29.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,500/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chefs and head cooks in Wenatchee-East Wenatchee?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chefs and head cooks typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,866/month. At HUD’s $1,500/month FMR, rent would take 52% 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 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee?
Local pay is 18% above the national median — $74K here vs. $62K nationally.
How does Wenatchee-East Wenatchee compare to the national average for chefs and head cooks?
Wenatchee-East Wenatchee pays $74K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s +18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $71K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do chefs and head cooks make in Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA?
The median is $73,690 a year, that works out to about $35 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,760, and experienced chefs and head cooks can clear $81,330. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $74K enough to live in Wenatchee-East Wenatchee?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,019/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,500/month, which eats 29.9% 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 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee?
Wenatchee-East Wenatchee has a Regional Price Parity of 103.86 (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 $70,951 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.