Chefs and Head Cooks salary
in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY
- Middle 50%
- $59,010–$92,080
- vs U.S. median
- +19%
- Metro rank
- #12 of 160
Chefs and Head Cooks in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY metro earn a median of $74,290 a year, based on BLS estimates for 640 jobs (May 2025). That is 19% above the U.S. median of $62,470 and 5% above the NY statewide median of $70,670. It ranks #12 of 160 metros with published figures for this job.
- SOURCEBLS OEWS, May 2025
- SAMPLE640 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 NY metros
7 metros · BLS
| Metro | Median |
|---|---|
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $84,430 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $72,340 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $71,780 |
| Rochester, NY | $66,080 |
| Syracuse, NY | $64,170 |
| Central East New York nonmetropolitan area | $61,860 |
| Utica-Rome, NY | $61,090 |
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RELATED JOBS IN BUFFALO
Questions
What is the average Chefs and Head Cooks salary in Buffalo?
The BLS median is $74,290 a year (May 2025). Half of the 640 jobs pay between $59,010 and $92,080. The 10th percentile is $48,500 and the 90th is $103,510.
Is Buffalo a high-paying metro for Chefs and Head Cooks?
That is 19% above the U.S. median of $62,470 and 5% above the NY statewide median of $70,670. It ranks #12 of 160 U.S. metros with published BLS figures for this job.
How much do Chefs and Head Cooks make an hour in Buffalo?
About $35.72 an hour at the median (the BLS annual figure of $74,290 divided by 2,080 hours, the conversion BLS uses). The middle half earn about $28.37–$44.27 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.