Chefs and Head Cooks salary in Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ
Chefs and Head Cooks in the Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ metro area earn a median of $75,740 a year ($36.41 an hour), based on BLS data for 900 workers.
Pay ranges from $50,500 for the lowest-paid 10% to $95,530 for the top 10%. That is 21% higher than the national median of $62,470. Pay here is 2% higher than the New Jersey statewide median of $74,280. There are 5.3 chefs and head cooks per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 4.2× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $75,460, close to the median.
Pay range for chefs and head cooks in Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $50,500 | $24.28 |
| 25th percentile | $62,300 | $29.95 |
| Median | $75,740 | $36.41 |
| 75th percentile | $95,350 | $45.84 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $95,530 | $45.93 |
| Average (mean) | $75,460 | $36.28 |
Half of chefs and head cooks earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $6,311.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $3,155.83 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,913.08 |
| Weekly | $1,456.54 |
| Hourly | $36.41 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $75,740 salary, see how much house you can afford in New Jersey at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Chefs and Head Cooks salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Vineland, NJ | $75,050 | 100 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $71,780 | 20,010 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $70,210 | 480 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $65,680 | 5,700 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $63,220 | 570 |
Highest-paying states for chefs and head cooks
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Rhode Island | $79,930 |
| Hawaii | $77,360 |
| District of Columbia | $76,420 |
| Washington | $76,010 |
| North Dakota | $74,740 |
| New Jersey | $74,280 |
| Wyoming | $73,170 |
| South Carolina | $71,860 |
| New York | $70,670 |
| Tennessee | $69,810 |
See Chefs and Head Cooks pay in every state or the New Jersey statewide figures.
Related jobs in Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $48,360 | $23.25 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $38,160 | $18.35 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $33,270 | $16.00 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | $40,250 | $19.35 |
| Bartender | $39,300 | $18.89 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $35,470 | $17.05 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $35,810 | $17.21 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $34,000 | $16.35 |
| Dishwasher | $37,110 | $17.84 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $35,540 | $17.09 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other | $41,180 | $19.80 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $40,240 | $19.35 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | $36,350 | $17.48 |
| Cooks, Short Order | $33,400 | $16.06 |
More: Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations · all salaries in Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 35-1011. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a chefs and head cooks make in Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ?
The median salary for chefs and head cooks in the Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ metro area is $75,740 a year, or $36.41 an hour. Pay ranges from $50,500 for the lowest-paid 10% to $95,530 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid chefs and head cooks make in Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ?
The top 10% of chefs and head cooks in the Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ metro area earn at least $95,530 a year. The top 25% earn $95,350 or more.
What is the starting pay for chefs and head cooks in Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $50,500 a year, and a quarter of chefs and head cooks earn $62,300 or less.
How many chefs and head cooks work in Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ?
About 900 chefs and head cooks are employed in the Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ metro area, not counting the self-employed.