Chefs and Head Cooks Salary in Fort Collins, CO

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Fort Collins-Loveland, CO

Median annual salary $60,100 -1.5% vs national
Median hourly $28.90
10th percentile $44,450
90th percentile $86,530
Employed locally 220
National median $60,990

Compare Chefs and Head Cooks salary & buying power

Type a city below to see how Fort Collins, CO stacks up on salary and cost of living.

Full tool →
Chefs and Head Cooks
in
Fort Collins, CO
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $44,450
    25th
    $50,960
    50th (median)
    $60,100
    75th
    $74,540
    90th
    $86,530

    Fort Collins economic context

    Unemployment rate 4.10% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $91,364 2023 • Census ACS
    Chefs and Head Cooks salary vs area income 66% Median Chefs and Head Cooks salary is 34% 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
    Naples-Marco Island, FL $74,990
    Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $74,970
    District of Columbia $74,000
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $71,600
    Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $70,090
    Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA $69,610

    Related occupations in Fort Collins, CO

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers $34,380
    Waiters and Waitresses $34,580
    Cooks, Restaurant $38,010
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $46,000
    Cooks, Fast Food $35,110
    Bartenders $34,610

    Frequently asked questions

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

    The median hourly wage for Chefs and Head Cooks in Fort Collins, CO is $28.90, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $40.28 or more per hour.

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

    The median Chefs and Head Cooks salary in Fort Collins, CO is 1.5% below 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 Fort Collins?

    Entry-level Chefs and Head Cooks (10th percentile) earn around $44,450 per year in Fort Collins, CO. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $50,960.