SOC 35-1011 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Chefs and Head Cooks — Indianapolis
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN · 7 metro areas compared
In Indianapolis, IN the median wage is $49,010.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to grow faster than average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +7.1%
- Openings per year
- 24,400
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- 5 years or more
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
6.3% of people in this occupation work for themselves.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
In Indianapolis, IN the median wage is $49,010. That is 21.5% lower than the national median of $62,470. Pay ranges from under $30,930 at the tenth percentile to more than $78,310 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $30,940 to $63,780.
Employment stands at 960, or 0.9 jobs per thousand held locally. Within the state, Terre Haute records the highest median at $85,920. Of the 621 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 404th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $30,930 | −50.5% |
| 25th | $30,940 | −50.5% |
| Median (50th) | $49,010 | −21.5% |
| 75th | $63,780 | +2.1% |
| 90th | $78,310 | +25.4% |
| Mean | $53,360 | −14.6% |
Other metro areas in Indiana
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Terre Haute | $85,920 | 50 | |
| 2 | South Bend | $57,180 | 80 | |
| 3 | Bloomington | $52,760 | 100 | |
| 4 | Fort Wayne | $49,490 | 120 | |
| 5 | Evansville | $46,480 | 90 | |
| 6 | Lafayette | $40,300 | 60 | |
| 7 | Muncie | $37,920 | 40 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Indianapolis run 4.3% below the national average, so the median of $49,010 goes as far as $51,212 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 18.0% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$49,010as reported by BLSLocal price level
95.7US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$51,212US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $49,010 a year, 21.5% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $30,930 to $78,310 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 960 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Terre Haute, at $85,920.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Chefs and Head Cooks in Indianapolis, IN?
The median annual wage is $49,010, or $23.56 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 Indianapolis, IN is 21.5% 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 Indianapolis, IN earns more than $78,310 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $30,930 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 Terre Haute, at $85,920 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 960 jobs in this occupation in Indianapolis, IN. 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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