What is the Average Salary for a Culinary Chef?

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Thinking of embarking on a journey to become a culinary chef, but not sure if the salary and lifestyle will be a good fit overall? Before committing to the time and effort it takes to become a successful chef, it is important to consider every aspect of a life in the culinary world, including salary. So, what is the average salary for a culinary chef?

That’s actually a really good question and one that can’t be answered with a single number. Culinary chef salaries vary greatly depending on location, type of work environment, experience, and more. Trying to throw out a single number for an average salary is a little daunting. However, it is possible to get a more accurate salary expectation by breaking down the numbers by region or state.

What is the Average Salary for a Culinary Chef in the U.S.?

According to an article on the Global Post Online, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states the annual median salary of a professional chef in the United States is $46,600. However, this number varies by state with the highest average salary coming from New York at $67,950 annually and the lowest being Idaho at $30,600 yearly. As these numbers indicate, there is quite a difference in average salaries, depending on location.

Why is There Such a Difference in Average Chef Salaries?

When asking the question: what is the average salary for a culinary chef – the first thing to consider before answering is where the chef will be working and why that is so important. A chef working in New York is faced with stiff competition, high cost of living, better socio-economic atmosphere, and higher performance expectations than a chef working in Idaho. These, and other factors, are the main reasons why a chef working in New York makes twice that of a chef in Idaho.

Different Types of Culinary Jobs (Working up the Culinary Ladder)

Of course, the salaries mentioned above are for those individuals working as executive chefs. Culinary chefs working in different roles should expect their salary to reflect the education, training, experience, responsibilities, and type of work environment they choose as well. There are several lower level culinary chef jobs an individual must tackle before he or she should have any expectation of earning the salaries mentioned above for an executive chef.

So, what are the different types of culinary jobs available? Chefs working their way up the culinary ladder can work as kitchen managers, sous chefs, catering managers, line cooks, pastry chefs, and station chefs. Any and all of these positions offer a chef the chance to learn and grow by introducing new techniques and improving upon their culinary skills.