SOC 35-1011 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Chefs and Head Cooks — New Hampshire
New Hampshire · 1 metro areas compared
At $63,400, median pay for Chefs and Head Cooks in New Hampshire tracks the national median of $62,470 closely.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
At $63,400, median pay for Chefs and Head Cooks in New Hampshire tracks the national median of $62,470 closely. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $52,510 and $76,300. The lowest tenth earn under $40,220, while the highest tenth earn more than $95,990.
Employment stands at 1,170, or 1.7 jobs per thousand held locally. Among the 51 states with published data for this occupation, New Hampshire ranks 20th by median wage. Manchester leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $63,260. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 305th of 631 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $40,220 | −35.6% |
| 25th | $52,510 | −15.9% |
| Median (50th) | $63,400 | +1.5% |
| 75th | $76,300 | +22.1% |
| 90th | $95,990 | +53.7% |
| Mean | $66,530 | +6.5% |
Highest-paying metro areas in New Hampshire
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester | $63,260 | 340 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in New Hampshire run 4.2% above the national average, so the median of $63,400 buys what $60,845 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 2.6% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$63,400as reported by BLSLocal price level
104.2US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$60,845US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $63,400 a year, 1.5% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $40,220 to $95,990 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 1,170 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 20th of 51 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Manchester, at $63,260.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Chefs and Head Cooks in New Hampshire?
The median annual wage is $63,400, or $30.48 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 New Hampshire is 1.5% higher. 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 New Hampshire earns more than $95,990 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $40,220 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 Manchester, at $63,260 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 1,170 jobs in this occupation in New Hampshire. 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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