Chefs and Head Cooks salary in Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
Chefs and Head Cooks in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area earn a median of $63,240 a year ($30.40 an hour), based on BLS data for 1,280 workers.
Pay ranges from $49,230 for the lowest-paid 10% to $96,920 for the top 10%. That is 1% higher than the national median of $62,470. Pay here is 1% higher than the Minnesota statewide median of $62,600. There are 0.65 chefs and head cooks per 1,000 jobs here — the job is less common than nationally (location quotient 0.51). The average (mean) salary is $67,570, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for chefs and head cooks in Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $49,230 | $23.67 |
| 25th percentile | $53,050 | $25.51 |
| Median | $63,240 | $30.40 |
| 75th percentile | $75,120 | $36.11 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $96,920 | $46.60 |
| Average (mean) | $67,570 | $32.48 |
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 | $5,270 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,635 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,432.31 |
| Weekly | $1,216.15 |
| Hourly | $30.40 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $63,240 salary, see how much house you can afford in Minnesota 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Wausau, WI | $65,910 | 30 |
| Madison, WI | $64,300 | 270 |
| Sheboygan, WI | $63,430 | 40 |
| Rochester, MN | $62,520 | 90 |
| Appleton, WI | $62,200 | 90 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $61,580 | 570 |
| Janesville-Beloit, WI | $60,890 | 40 |
| St. Cloud, MN | $60,500 | 40 |
| Mankato, MN | $60,050 | 30 |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $59,640 | 40 |
| Kenosha, WI | $59,530 | 50 |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $59,390 | 50 |
| Eau Claire, WI | $59,240 | 60 |
| Green Bay, WI | $58,480 | 100 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $58,300 | 60 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | $56,790 | 100 |
| Fargo, ND-MN | $54,390 | 40 |
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $50,150 | 120 |
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 Minnesota statewide figures.
Related jobs in Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $46,110 | $22.17 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $33,040 | $15.89 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $25,920 | $12.46 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | $39,640 | $19.06 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $35,100 | $16.87 |
| Bartender | $27,600 | $13.27 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $36,420 | $17.51 |
| Dishwasher | $34,940 | $16.80 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $30,600 | $14.71 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $29,380 | $14.13 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $44,830 | $21.55 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | $36,380 | $17.49 |
| Cooks, Short Order | $32,150 | $15.46 |
| Cooks, All Other | $38,210 | $18.37 |
More: Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations · all salaries in Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
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 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI?
The median salary for chefs and head cooks in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area is $63,240 a year, or $30.40 an hour. Pay ranges from $49,230 for the lowest-paid 10% to $96,920 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid chefs and head cooks make in Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI?
The top 10% of chefs and head cooks in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area earn at least $96,920 a year. The top 25% earn $75,120 or more.
What is the starting pay for chefs and head cooks in Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $49,230 a year, and a quarter of chefs and head cooks earn $53,050 or less.
How many chefs and head cooks work in Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI?
About 1,280 chefs and head cooks are employed in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area, not counting the self-employed.