Salary Range for a Chef

A chef is responsible for overseeing the preparation of food in a kitchen, and he is responsible for training other kitchen employees on how food should be prepared and served. A chef is also responsible for implementing new dishes and specials on a restaurant's menu.

Entry Level

An entry-level chef should expect to make around $36,500 per year.

Mid-Career

The median salary for a chef who has been working between 10 and 20 years is approximately $52,000 per year.

Experienced

The median salary for an experienced chef who has 20 or more years of experience in a kitchen is about $60,000 per year.

Lowest-Paid Chefs

Chefs who work for school districts are paid a median salary of about $46,000 per year, which is several thousand less than chefs who work for restaurants, universities and government entities.

Top-Paying City

Chefs in New York City make the most money. The median salary there is almost $74,000 per year.

Resources

• Chef Job Description