Chefs and Head Cooks in Missouri

Want to work in Missouri as a Chef or Head Cook? Read this first!

You’re in luck! Jobs for Chefs and Head Cooks in Missouri are projected to grow and these jobs tend to pay higher than average.

• Projected employment for Chefs and Head Cooks in Missouri is growing faster than average.

• Chefs and Head Cooks in Missouri earn higher salaries than the typical U.S. wage earner.

How Many Chefs and Head Cooks Work in Missouri?

In Missouri, there were 1,580 people working as Chefs and Head Cooks in the year 2018.

There were 1,850 Chefs and Head Cooks employed in this state in 2017.

That’s a decline of 270 jobs between 2017 and 2018.

The typical state has 1,325 Chefs and Head Cooks working in it, which means Missouri has more Chefs and Head Cooks than average.

Job Projections for Missouri

Jobs for Chefs and Head Cooks in this state are growing at a rate of 7.8% which is slower than the nationwide estimated projection of 9.6%.

Missouri Annual Job Openings

The BLS is projecting 280 annual Chefs and Head Cooks job openings in Missouri, and 2,210 total jobs in the year 2026.

Nationwide, the prediction is 20,300 annual jobs and 160,600 total jobs in 2026.

What do Chefs and Head Cooks Make in Missouri?

In 2018 wages for Chefs and Head Cooks ranged from $29,370 to $88,270 with $49,250 being the median annual salary.

Broken down to an hourly rate, workers in this field made anywhere from $14.12 to $42.44. The median hourly rate was $23.68.

Workers in this field were paid a median of $19 an hour in 2017.

The hourly rate grew by $4.68.

The median salary in Missouri is higher than the nationwide median salary.

Top Missouri Metros for Chefs and Head Cooks

The table below shows some of the metros in this state with the most Chefs and Head Cooks.

Metro	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Kansas City, MO-KS	1,000	$41,590
St. Louis, MO-IL	690	$49,570
Springfield, MO	320	$55,580
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO	110	$63,270
Columbia, MO	50	$47,970

Top States for Chefs and Head Cooks Employment

View the list below to see where most Chefs and Head Cooks work.

State	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
California	19,420	$46,360
New York	15,500	$52,010
Florida	11,150	$48,710
Texas	6,020	$50,580
Massachusetts	4,830	$56,070
Illinois	4,770	$49,070
Ohio	4,370	$40,270
South Carolina	3,630	$38,460
Arizona	3,580	$38,430
Nevada	3,450	$52,930
Pennsylvania	3,100	$57,500
Virginia	2,790	$53,000
Connecticut	2,640	$53,730
New Jersey	2,640	$66,790
North Carolina	2,460	$47,070
Maryland	2,290	$49,390
Wisconsin	2,240	$40,480
Michigan	2,160	$48,320
Georgia	2,060	$51,330
Tennessee	1,960	$45,890

Below are the states where Chefs and Head Cooks get paid the most:

State	Annual Median Salary
New Jersey	$66,790
Hawaii	$63,810
District of Columbia	$63,150
West Virginia	$58,570
Pennsylvania	$57,500
Delaware	$57,340
Washington	$56,450
Wyoming	$56,150
Massachusetts	$56,070
Connecticut	$53,730

Related Careers in MO

You may also be interested in the following careers:

Occupation	MO Employment Total

What Major Will Prepare You For a Chef or Head Cook Career?

• Personal & Culinary Services
• Culinary Arts
• Culinary Arts/Chef Training
• Baking & Pastry Arts/Baker/Pastry Chef
• Restaurant, Culinary, & Catering Management/Manager

References

• Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• Image Credit: By U.S. Army Europe Images under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.