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Chefs and Head Cooks: apprenticeship hours and pay
O*NET-SOC 35-1011.00 · Culinary Programs
Approved titles
1
RAPIDS codes
Shortest term
2,000 h
longest minimum 4,000 h
National median pay
$62,470
a year, BLS May 2025
Jobs nationally
200,040
BLS May 2025
Approved apprenticeship titles
- Training approaches
- competency-based, time-based
- Shortest approved term
- 2,000 hours, CHIEF, COOK (competency-based)
- State medians
- $79,930 in Rhode Island to $30,800 in Puerto Rico (53 states publish one)
| Title | RAPIDS code | Approach and term |
|---|---|---|
| CHIEF, COOK | 1053 | Competency-Based: 2,000 hours Competency-Based (V2): 4,000 hours Time-Based: 2,000 hours |
What chefs and head cooks earn, by state
| State | Median pay | Hourly | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | $79,930 | $38.43 | 740 |
| Hawaii | $77,360 | $37.19 | 1,240 |
| District of Columbia | $76,420 | $36.74 | 2,020 |
| Washington | $76,010 | $36.54 | 5,320 |
| North Dakota | $74,740 | $35.93 | 100 |
| New Jersey | $74,280 | $35.71 | 9,100 |
| Wyoming | $73,170 | $35.18 | 240 |
| South Carolina | $71,860 | $34.55 | 2,650 |
| New York | $70,670 | $33.98 | 17,430 |
| Tennessee | $69,810 | $33.56 | 3,820 |
| Massachusetts | $69,540 | $33.43 | 6,000 |
| Georgia | $66,230 | $31.84 | 3,680 |
| Vermont | $65,440 | $31.46 | 610 |
| Colorado | $65,400 | $31.44 | 3,970 |
| California | $64,500 | $31.01 | 31,670 |
| Missouri | $64,480 | $31.00 | 1,750 |
| Connecticut | $64,310 | $30.92 | 3,080 |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | $63,960 | $30.75 | 260 |
| Pennsylvania | $63,860 | $30.70 | 9,170 |
| Oregon | $63,600 | $30.58 | 2,510 |
| New Hampshire | $63,400 | $30.48 | 1,170 |
| Virginia | $63,270 | $30.42 | 3,600 |
| Minnesota | $62,600 | $30.10 | 1,730 |
| Alabama | $62,400 | $30.00 | 1,000 |
| Nevada | $62,380 | $29.99 | 3,940 |
| New Mexico | $62,250 | $29.93 | 770 |
| Maryland | $61,590 | $29.61 | 3,220 |
| Delaware | $61,440 | $29.54 | 590 |
| Wisconsin | $61,300 | $29.47 | 1,860 |
| North Carolina | $61,130 | $29.39 | 4,920 |
| West Virginia | $61,100 | $29.38 | 350 |
| Nebraska | $60,510 | $29.09 | 540 |
| Michigan | $60,070 | $28.88 | 5,360 |
| Arizona | $59,890 | $28.79 | 4,080 |
| Utah | $59,060 | $28.39 | 1,740 |
| Illinois | $58,830 | $28.29 | 8,290 |
| Oklahoma | $58,540 | $28.14 | 1,430 |
| Kansas | $58,390 | $28.07 | 860 |
| Florida | $58,240 | $28.00 | 19,670 |
| Montana | $57,470 | $27.63 | 720 |
| Maine | $57,010 | $27.41 | 1,250 |
| Texas | $56,080 | $26.96 | 13,270 |
| Mississippi | $54,850 | $26.37 | 840 |
| Ohio | $53,990 | $25.96 | 4,000 |
| Alaska | $52,190 | $25.09 | 680 |
| Indiana | $52,190 | $25.09 | 1,940 |
| Idaho | $52,000 | $25.00 | 550 |
| South Dakota | $48,470 | $23.30 | 300 |
| Kentucky | $48,070 | $23.11 | 1,790 |
| Iowa | $47,990 | $23.07 | 1,640 |
| Arkansas | $46,170 | $22.20 | 880 |
| Louisiana | $45,570 | $21.91 | 1,990 |
| Puerto Rico | $30,800 | $14.81 | 770 |
Finding a program
How to find a sponsor that trains this title · Apprenticeship sponsors by state (25,633) · All approved occupations · Culinary Programs at schools and training centers
- Approved titles and terms: apprenticeship.gov approved occupations list, Last-Modified October 8, 2026, read October 8, 2026.
- Pay and jobs: BLS OEWS, May 2025, all industries, read October 8, 2026.