SOC 35-1011 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Chefs and Head Cooks — Watertown
Watertown-Fort Drum, NY · 10 metro areas compared
The median wage for Chefs and Head Cooks in Watertown, NY is $62,740 per year, close to the national median of $62,470 for the same occupation.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage for Chefs and Head Cooks in Watertown, NY is $62,740 per year, close to the national median of $62,470 for the same occupation. Pay ranges from under $35,200 at the tenth percentile to more than $99,800 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $46,670 to $79,430.
Employment stands at 40, or 1.1 jobs per thousand held locally. Albany leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $84,430. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 76th of 199 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $35,200 | −43.7% |
| 25th | $46,670 | −25.3% |
| Median (50th) | $62,740 | +0.4% |
| 75th | $79,430 | +27.1% |
| 90th | $99,800 | +59.8% |
| Mean | $64,240 | +2.8% |
Other metro areas in New York
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Albany | $84,430 | 470 | |
| 2 | Kingston | $74,710 | 140 | |
| 3 | Buffalo | $74,290 | 640 | |
| 4 | Kiryas Joel | $72,340 | 360 | |
| 5 | New York | $71,780 | 20,010 | |
| 6 | Glens Falls | $67,590 | 80 | |
| 7 | Rochester | $66,080 | 690 | |
| 8 | Syracuse | $64,170 | 240 | |
| 9 | Ithaca | $64,010 | 80 | |
| 10 | Elmira | $63,410 | 40 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Watertown run 7.9% above the national average, so the median of $62,740 buys what $58,146 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 6.9% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$62,740as reported by BLSLocal price level
107.9US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$58,146US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $62,740 a year, 0.4% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $35,200 to $99,800 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 40 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Albany, at $84,430.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Chefs and Head Cooks in Watertown, NY?
The median annual wage is $62,740, or $30.17 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 Watertown, NY is 0.4% 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 Watertown, NY earns more than $99,800 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $35,200 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 Albany, at $84,430 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 40 jobs in this occupation in Watertown, NY. 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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