SOC 35-1011 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Chefs and Head Cooks — El Paso
El Paso, TX · 10 metro areas compared
The median wage for Chefs and Head Cooks in El Paso, TX is $43,020 per year, substantially below the national median of $62,470 — a gap of 31.1%.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage for Chefs and Head Cooks in El Paso, TX is $43,020 per year, substantially below the national median of $62,470 — a gap of 31.1%. Pay ranges from under $29,350 at the tenth percentile to more than $74,130 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $35,330 to $59,900.
Employment stands at 320, or 1.0 jobs per thousand held locally. Dallas leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $64,100. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 295th of 476 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $29,350 | −53.0% |
| 25th | $35,330 | −43.4% |
| Median (50th) | $43,020 | −31.1% |
| 75th | $59,900 | −4.1% |
| 90th | $74,130 | +18.7% |
| Mean | $49,190 | −21.3% |
Other metro areas in Texas
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dallas | $64,100 | 3,550 | |
| 2 | Austin | $62,400 | 1,710 | |
| 3 | Beaumont | $58,440 | 120 | |
| 4 | Midland | $58,100 | 100 | |
| 5 | College Station | $57,920 | 170 | |
| 6 | Lubbock | $56,950 | 100 | |
| 7 | Killeen | $53,000 | 110 | |
| 8 | Tyler | $52,050 | 90 | |
| 9 | Texarkana | $50,270 | 50 | |
| 10 | San Angelo | $50,190 | 50 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in El Paso run 2.9% below the national average, so the median of $43,020 goes as far as $44,305 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 29.1% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$43,020as reported by BLSLocal price level
97.1US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$44,305US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $43,020 a year, 31.1% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $29,350 to $74,130 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 320 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Dallas, at $64,100.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Chefs and Head Cooks in El Paso, TX?
The median annual wage is $43,020, or $20.69 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $62,470, so pay in El Paso, TX is 31.1% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in El Paso, TX earns more than $74,130 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $29,350 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Dallas, at $64,100 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 320 jobs in this occupation in El Paso, TX. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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