Chefs and Head Cooks salary
in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
- Middle 50%
- $56,790–$85,000
- vs U.S. median
- +16%
- Metro rank
- #16 of 160
Chefs and Head Cooks in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro earn a median of $72,470 a year, based on BLS estimates for 4,430 jobs (May 2025). That is 16% above the U.S. median of $62,470 and 4% above the MA statewide median of $69,540. It ranks #16 of 160 metros with published figures for this job.
- SOURCEBLS OEWS, May 2025
- SAMPLE4,430 jobs (estimate)
- SCOPEall employers, all experience levels
- PERIODMay 2025 estimates
Full percentile breakdown
BLS · metro vs U.S.
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Chefs and Head Cooks pay in other MA metros
3 metros · BLS
| Metro | Median |
|---|---|
| Barnstable Town, MA | $67,700 |
| Worcester, MA | $64,620 |
| Springfield, MA | $64,000 |
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RELATED JOBS IN BOSTON
Questions
What is the average Chefs and Head Cooks salary in Boston?
The BLS median is $72,470 a year (May 2025). Half of the 4,430 jobs pay between $56,790 and $85,000. The 10th percentile is $48,820 and the 90th is $100,740.
Is Boston a high-paying metro for Chefs and Head Cooks?
That is 16% above the U.S. median of $62,470 and 4% above the MA statewide median of $69,540. It ranks #16 of 160 U.S. metros with published BLS figures for this job.
How much do Chefs and Head Cooks make an hour in Boston?
About $34.84 an hour at the median (the BLS annual figure of $72,470 divided by 2,080 hours, the conversion BLS uses). The middle half earn about $27.30–$40.87 an hour. Straight-time pay, before overtime and shift differentials.
Does this include experience levels?
BLS figures cover all experience levels together. Employer filings carry a DOL wage level, which the free checker can filter by (approximate).
Sources: U.S. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (national + state) (metro area estimates, all employers); employer rows from U.S. DOL OFLC LCA Disclosure Data, FY2026 Q3 (LCA_Disclosure_Data_FY2026_Q3.xlsx). Base pay only. Estimates can have sampling error, especially for smaller metros.