Chefs and Head Cooks pay in Indiana
$55,060avg. a year
$26.47 an hour · 1,940 employed
Chefs and Head Cooks in Indiana earn an average of $55,060 a year. That is $11,640 (17%) less than the U.S. average of $66,700. The best-paying metro area is Terre Haute, IN at $70,410.
$52,190Median pay
$26.47Average hourly
+4%Avg. pay since 2020
#47Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying Indiana metro areas
Average pay for chefs and head cooks by metro area. Swipe to see all 11.
150 jobs
Terre Haute, IN
$70,410
$33.85 an hour
26,840 jobs
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
$64,510
$31.02 an hour
31,060 jobs
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
$60,450
$29.06 an hour
4100 jobs
Bloomington, IN
$57,780
$27.78 an hour
580 jobs
South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI
$57,090
$27.45 an hour
6750 jobs
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN
$55,810
$26.83 an hour
7960 jobs
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN
$53,360
$25.65 an hour
8120 jobs
Fort Wayne, IN
$52,920
$25.44 an hour
990 jobs
Evansville, IN
$49,720
$23.91 an hour
1060 jobs
Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN
$46,030
$22.13 an hour
1140 jobs
Muncie, IN
$42,840
$20.60 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Chefs and Head Cooks pay in Indiana, charted
Pay over time
Indiana, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where Indiana chefs and head cooks work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · Indiana highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $60k$60k–$66k$66k–$70k$70k+Indiana
Indiana vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $66,700 | $32.07 |
| Indiana | $55,060 | $26.47 |
| Illinois | $62,810 | $30.20 |
| Michigan | $62,460 | $30.03 |
| Ohio | $61,220 | $29.44 |
| Kentucky | $55,770 | $26.81 |
Related jobs in Indiana
- First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$46,380
- Fast Food and Counter Workers$28,980
- Waiters and Waitresses$31,170
- Cooks, Restaurant$34,150
- Food Preparation Workers$31,560
- Bartenders$27,780
Average pay, Indiana, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do chefs and head cooks make in Indiana?
The average is $55,060 a year, and the median is $52,190. That is $11,640 (17%) less than the U.S. average of $66,700.
What is the hourly wage in Indiana?
$26.47 an hour on average; the median is $25.09.
Where in Indiana do they earn the most?
Terre Haute, IN ($70,410), followed by Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN ($64,510). The lowest average among 11 metro areas with data is Muncie, IN ($42,840).
How does Indiana rank?
Indiana ranks #47 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 35-1011. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national chefs and head cooks page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.