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Job outlook for chefs in the United States
Chef job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected chef job growth rate is 15% from 2018-2028.
About 23,600 new jobs for chefs are projected over the next decade.
Chef salaries have increased 24% for chefs in the last 5 years.
There are over 147,434 chefs currently employed in the United States.
There are 65,737 active chef job openings in the US.
The average chef salary is $46,824.
Are chef jobs in demand?
Yes, chef jobs are in demand. Chef demand is projected to grow 15% from 2018 to 2028.
Chef job and salary trends over time
Compare the number of chef jobs and the average chef salary over time.
Chef jobs over time
Chef job growth rate over time
Year  | # Of Jobs | % Of Population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 147,434 | 0.04% |
| 2020 | 117,532 | 0.03% |
| 2019 | 145,115 | 0.04% |
| 2018 | 144,130 | 0.04% |
| 2017 | 145,613 | 0.04% |
Average chef salary over time
Chef salary by year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $46,824 | $22.51 | +3.6% |
| 2024 | $45,202 | $21.73 | +6.3% |
| 2023 | $42,509 | $20.44 | +5.5% |
| 2022 | $40,307 | $19.38 | +6.4% |
| 2021 | $37,877 | $18.21 | +4.0% |
Chef jobs by state
Most common states for chefs
| Rank | State | Population | # of Jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 98 | 14% |
| 2 | Alaska | 739,795 | 85 | 11% |
| 3 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 549 | 10% |
| 4 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 891 | 9% |
| 5 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 595 | 9% |
| 6 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 581 | 9% |
| 7 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 277 | 9% |
| 8 | Florida | 20,984,400 | 1,668 | 8% |
| 9 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 791 | 8% |
| 10 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 401 | 8% |
| 11 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 865 | 7% |
| 12 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 842 | 7% |
| 13 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 608 | 7% |
| 14 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 497 | 7% |
| 15 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 449 | 7% |
| 16 | Oklahoma | 3,930,864 | 288 | 7% |
| 17 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 214 | 7% |
| 18 | Mississippi | 2,984,100 | 198 | 7% |
| 19 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 96 | 7% |
| 20 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 77 | 7% |
Most common cities for chefs
| Rank | City | # of Jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Henderson | 19 | 6% | $51,188 |
| 2 | Fort Myers | 5 | 6% | $43,868 |
| 3 | Orlando | 10 | 4% | $43,088 |
| 4 | Boston | 7 | 1% | $55,491 |
| 5 | Jacksonville | 6 | 1% | $42,114 |
| 6 | Atlanta | 5 | 1% | $48,656 |
| 7 | New Orleans | 5 | 1% | $38,669 |
| 8 | Chicago | 6 | 0% | $47,597 |
| 9 | New York | 6 | 0% | $45,118 |
| 10 | Los Angeles | 5 | 0% | $54,105 |