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Chef salary in United States
How much does a Chef make in the United States?
Average base salary
$20.59
- Hour
- Day
- Week
- Month
- Year
Average $20.59
Low $12.21
High $34.72
The average salary for a chef is $20.59 per hour in the United States. 9.5k salaries taken from job postings on Indeed in the past 36 months (updated August 9, 2026).
What Does a Chef Do?
A sous chef is the second in command in a kitchen after the executive chef. “Sous chef” in French means “under-chef.” Depending on the size of the kitchen, a sous chef is involved in kitchen and managerial duties, including:
- Writing and redesigning menus
- Properly pricing items on the menu
- Creating new menu items
- Hiring aspiring chefs and training staff
- Scheduling staff shifts
- Ensuring kitchen staff members follow rules and regulations
- Tracking, organizing and ordering inventory
- Ensuring kitchen equipment complies with industry standards and is repaired or replaced as needed
- Alternate shifts with the executive chef, with each running the kitchen during their scheduled time
- Creating a smooth workflow within the kitchen so that diners receive service promptly
Highest paying companies for Chef in United States
Average year pay is based on job postings on Indeed in the past 36 months.Wellness Clinic
$260,000per year
Elite Amenity Management
$234,000per year
Serve the People CHC
$208,000per year
Dirt Dog
$180,000per year
Gibsons Restaurant Group
$160,000per year
Jackson Family Wines
$152,131per year
Hiring a Chef?
Highest paying cities for Chefs near United States
Where can a Chef earn more?
Compare salaries for Chefs in different locations
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Chef