Chefs and Head Cooks salary
in Rochester, NY
- Middle 50%
- $52,520–$82,110
- vs U.S. median
- +6%
- Metro rank
- #40 of 160
Chefs and Head Cooks in the Rochester, NY metro earn a median of $66,080 a year, based on BLS estimates for 690 jobs (May 2025). That is 6% above the U.S. median of $62,470 and 6% below the NY statewide median of $70,670. It ranks #40 of 160 metros with published figures for this job.
- SOURCEBLS OEWS, May 2025
- SAMPLE690 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 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $74,290 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $72,340 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $71,780 |
| Syracuse, NY | $64,170 |
| Central East New York nonmetropolitan area | $61,860 |
| Utica-Rome, NY | $61,090 |
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RELATED JOBS IN ROCHESTER
Questions
What is the average Chefs and Head Cooks salary in Rochester?
The BLS median is $66,080 a year (May 2025). Half of the 690 jobs pay between $52,520 and $82,110. The 10th percentile is $48,070 and the 90th is $102,800.
Is Rochester a high-paying metro for Chefs and Head Cooks?
That is 6% above the U.S. median of $62,470 and 6% below the NY statewide median of $70,670. It ranks #40 of 160 U.S. metros with published BLS figures for this job.
How much do Chefs and Head Cooks make an hour in Rochester?
About $31.77 an hour at the median (the BLS annual figure of $66,080 divided by 2,080 hours, the conversion BLS uses). The middle half earn about $25.25–$39.48 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.