Chefs and Head Cooks Salary in Asheville, NC

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Asheville, NC

Median annual salary $62,040 +1.7% vs national
Median hourly $29.83
10th percentile $44,800
90th percentile $97,620
Employed locally 230
National median $60,990

Compare Chefs and Head Cooks salary & buying power

Type a city below to see how Asheville, NC stacks up on salary and cost of living.

Full tool →
Chefs and Head Cooks
in
Asheville, NC
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $44,800
    25th
    $52,220
    50th (median)
    $62,040
    75th
    $75,890
    90th
    $97,620

    Asheville economic context

    Unemployment rate 4.00% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $69,236 2023 • Census ACS
    Chefs and Head Cooks salary vs area income 90% Median Chefs and Head Cooks salary is 10% below the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Chefs and Head Cooks

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Kahului-Wailuku, HI $87,410
    Morgantown, WV $87,280
    Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area $85,370
    Terre Haute, IN $83,880
    East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area $81,720
    Hawaii $81,200

    Nearby metros — Chefs and Head Cooks salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $78,390
    Trenton-Princeton, NJ $71,790
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $71,600
    Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $64,590
    Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC $63,500
    Raleigh-Cary, NC $61,890

    Related occupations in Asheville, NC

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers$29,240
    Waiters and Waitresses$29,820
    Cooks, Fast Food$27,340
    Cooks, Restaurant$36,200
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$45,470
    Bartenders$35,130

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Chefs and Head Cooks make per hour in Asheville?

    The median hourly wage for Chefs and Head Cooks in Asheville, NC is $29.83, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $40.59 or more per hour.

    Is Asheville above or below average for Chefs and Head Cooks salaries?

    The median Chefs and Head Cooks salary in Asheville, NC is 1.7% above the national median of $60,990. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Chefs and Head Cooks in Asheville?

    Entry-level Chefs and Head Cooks (10th percentile) earn around $44,800 per year in Asheville, NC. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $52,220.