Chefs and Head Cooks Salary in Trenton, NJ

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Trenton-Princeton, NJ

Median annual salary $71,790 +17.7% vs national
Median hourly $34.51
10th percentile $54,600
90th percentile $96,680
Employed locally 300
National median $60,990

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Chefs and Head Cooks
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Trenton, NJ
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $54,600
    25th
    $59,990
    50th (median)
    $71,790
    75th
    $82,480
    90th
    $96,680

    Trenton economic context

    Unemployment rate 4.40% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $96,333 2023 • Census ACS
    Chefs and Head Cooks salary vs area income 75% Median Chefs and Head Cooks salary is 25% 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
    Vineland, NJ $72,740
    Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ $69,630
    New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $66,550
    Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $63,360
    Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $58,820

    Related occupations in Trenton, NJ

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers$33,620
    Waiters and Waitresses$37,360
    Cooks, Restaurant$37,530
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$45,930
    Food Preparation Workers$35,050
    Bartenders$44,740

    Frequently asked questions

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

    The median hourly wage for Chefs and Head Cooks in Trenton, NJ is $34.51, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $51.88 or more per hour.

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

    The median Chefs and Head Cooks salary in Trenton, NJ is 17.7% 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 Trenton?

    Entry-level Chefs and Head Cooks (10th percentile) earn around $54,600 per year in Trenton, NJ. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $59,990.