Chefs and Head Cooks pay in Maryland
$65,930avg. a year
$31.70 an hour · 3,220 employed
Chefs and Head Cooks in Maryland earn an average of $65,930 a year. That is about the same as the U.S. average of $66,700. The best-paying metro area is Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV at $74,250.
$61,590Median pay
$31.70Average hourly
+13%Avg. pay since 2020
#26Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying Maryland metro areas
Average pay for chefs and head cooks by metro area. Swipe to see all 6.
14,680 jobs
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
$74,250
$35.70 an hour
25,700 jobs
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
$71,310
$34.28 an hour
350 jobs
Salisbury, MD
$67,820
$32.61 an hour
41,740 jobs
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
$63,640
$30.60 an hour
540 jobs
Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV
$61,280
$29.46 an hour
680 jobs
Lexington Park, MD
$58,750
$28.24 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 Maryland, charted
Pay over time
Maryland, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where Maryland chefs and head cooks work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · Maryland highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $60k$60k–$66k$66k–$70k$70k+Maryland
Maryland vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $66,700 | $32.07 |
| Maryland | $65,930 | $31.70 |
| District of Columbia | $79,660 | $38.30 |
| Pennsylvania | $67,890 | $32.64 |
| Delaware | $66,590 | $32.02 |
| Virginia | $65,320 | $31.41 |
| West Virginia | $64,600 | $31.06 |
Related jobs in Maryland
- First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$46,460
- Fast Food and Counter Workers$34,210
- Waiters and Waitresses$43,950
- Cooks, Restaurant$40,120
- Food Preparation Workers$37,090
- Bartenders$45,180
Average pay, Maryland, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do chefs and head cooks make in Maryland?
The average is $65,930 a year, and the median is $61,590. That is about the same as the U.S. average of $66,700.
What is the hourly wage in Maryland?
$31.70 an hour on average; the median is $29.61.
Where in Maryland do they earn the most?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($74,250), followed by Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD ($71,310). The lowest average among 6 metro areas with data is Lexington Park, MD ($58,750).
How does Maryland rank?
Maryland ranks #26 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.