Chefs and Head Cooks Salary in Lexington, KY

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Lexington-Fayette, KY

Median annual salary $53,490 -12.3% vs national
Median hourly $25.72
10th percentile $26,480
90th percentile $102,830
Employed locally 260
National median $60,990

Compare Chefs and Head Cooks salary & buying power

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

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Chefs and Head Cooks
in
Lexington, KY
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $26,480
    25th
    $34,930
    50th (median)
    $53,490
    75th
    $70,950
    90th
    $102,830

    Lexington economic context

    Unemployment rate 4.20% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $70,717 2023 • Census ACS
    Chefs and Head Cooks salary vs area income 76% Median Chefs and Head Cooks salary is 24% 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
    Sandusky, OH $59,480
    Rocky Mount, NC $57,920
    Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $55,660
    Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH $52,010
    East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area $50,520
    Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area $49,210

    Related occupations in Lexington, KY

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers $27,740
    Waiters and Waitresses $22,290
    Cooks, Fast Food $26,050
    Cooks, Restaurant $34,520
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $36,480
    Food Preparation Workers $26,980

    Frequently asked questions

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

    The median hourly wage for Chefs and Head Cooks in Lexington, KY is $25.72, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $52.59 or more per hour.

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

    The median Chefs and Head Cooks salary in Lexington, KY is 12.3% 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 Lexington?

    Entry-level Chefs and Head Cooks (10th percentile) earn around $26,480 per year in Lexington, KY. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $34,930.