SOC 35-1011 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Chefs and Head Cooks — Providence
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
In Providence, RI the median wage for Chefs and Head Cooks reaches $79,340 a year.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
In Providence, RI the median wage for Chefs and Head Cooks reaches $79,340 a year. That is 27.0% more than the national median of $62,470. Pay ranges from under $49,340 at the tenth percentile to more than $117,920 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $63,690 to $83,310.
The area has 1,070 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 1.16 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. Of the 601 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 214th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $49,340 | −21.0% |
| 25th | $63,690 | +2.0% |
| Median (50th) | $79,340 | +27.0% |
| 75th | $83,310 | +33.4% |
| 90th | $117,920 | +88.8% |
| Mean | $79,440 | +27.2% |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Providence run 2.3% above the national average, so the median of $79,340 buys what $77,556 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 24.1% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$79,340as reported by BLSLocal price level
102.3US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$77,556US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $79,340 a year, 27.0% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $49,340 to $117,920 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 1,070 jobs in this occupation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Chefs and Head Cooks in Providence, RI?
The median annual wage is $79,340, or $38.15 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 Providence, RI is 27.0% 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 Providence, RI earns more than $117,920 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $49,340 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.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 1,070 jobs in this occupation in Providence, RI. 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.
Explore related data