Chefs and Head Cooks Salary in Reading, PA

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

Median annual salary $59,680 -2.1% vs national
Median hourly $28.69
10th percentile $40,240
90th percentile $88,100
Employed locally 160
National median $60,990

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Chefs and Head Cooks
in
Reading, PA
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $40,240
    25th
    $48,930
    50th (median)
    $59,680
    75th
    $74,550
    90th
    $88,100

    Reading economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.70% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $77,684 2023 • Census ACS
    Chefs and Head Cooks salary vs area income 77% Median Chefs and Head Cooks salary is 23% 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 Reading, PA

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers $28,320
    Waiters and Waitresses $29,020
    Cooks, Restaurant $35,360
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $38,510
    Bartenders $25,050
    Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria $35,740

    Frequently asked questions

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

    The median hourly wage for Chefs and Head Cooks in Reading, PA is $28.69, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $52.03 or more per hour.

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

    The median Chefs and Head Cooks salary in Reading, PA is 2.1% 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 Reading?

    Entry-level Chefs and Head Cooks (10th percentile) earn around $40,240 per year in Reading, PA. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $48,930.