Chefs and Head Cooks Salary in Lancaster, PA

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Lancaster, PA

Median annual salary $55,430 -9.1% vs national
Median hourly $26.65
10th percentile $39,480
90th percentile $79,990
Employed locally 310
National median $60,990

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Chefs and Head Cooks
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Lancaster, PA
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $39,480
    25th
    $43,980
    50th (median)
    $55,430
    75th
    $68,600
    90th
    $79,990

    Lancaster economic context

    Unemployment rate 2.90% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $83,703 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
    Napa, CA $76,350
    San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $64,590
    Lexington Park, MD $64,400
    Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $63,360
    Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $61,780
    Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $61,600

    Related occupations in Lancaster, PA

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers$28,570
    Waiters and Waitresses$29,450
    Cooks, Restaurant$35,780
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$39,040
    Bartenders$28,410
    Food Servers, Nonrestaurant$28,550

    Frequently asked questions

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

    The median hourly wage for Chefs and Head Cooks in Lancaster, PA is $26.65, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $41.51 or more per hour.

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

    The median Chefs and Head Cooks salary in Lancaster, PA is 9.1% 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 Lancaster?

    Entry-level Chefs and Head Cooks (10th percentile) earn around $39,480 per year in Lancaster, PA. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $43,980.