Chef demographics research summary. Zippia estimates chef demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our chef estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about chefs after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 147,434 chefs currently employed in the United States.
- 25.2% of all chefs are women, while 74.8% are men.
- The average chef age is 42 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of chefs is White (55.0%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (17.1%), Asian (11.4%) and Black or African American (10.3%).
- Chefs are most in-demand in New York, NY.
- Urban Honolulu, HI pays an annual average wage of $71,516, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women chefs earned 91% of what men earned.
- Nevada is the best state for chefs to live.
- Chefs are 71% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On This Page
Chef demographics by:
Chef gender statistics
25.2% of chefs are women and 74.8% of chefs are men.
- Male, 74.8%
- Female, 25.2%
Chef gender ratio
Gender | Percentages |
---|---|
Male | 74.8% |
Female | 25.2% |
Chef gender pay gap
Women earn 91¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male Income
$48,066
Female Income
$43,954
Chef gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in chef positions over time. Currently, 25.2% of chefs are female.
Male
Female
100
%
80
%
60
%
40
%
20
%
%
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
Chef gender ratio by year
Year | Male | Female |
---|---|---|
2010 | 77.85% | 22.15% |
2011 | 78.44% | 21.56% |
2012 | 78.58% | 21.42% |
2013 | 78.75% | 21.25% |
2014 | 76.68% | 23.32% |
2015 | 78.56% | 21.44% |
2016 | 76.91% | 23.09% |
2017 | 77.35% | 22.65% |
2018 | 76.09% | 23.91% |
2019 | 77.34% | 22.66% |
2020 | 75.39% | 24.61% |
2021 | 74.81% | 25.19% |
Chef related jobs gender ratio
We compared chefs with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, corporate executive chef and chef de cuisine have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
Job Title | Male | Female |
---|---|---|
Lunchroom Monitor | 5% | 95% |
Waiter/Waitress, Captain | 13% | 87% |
Lunchroom Supervisor | 13% | 87% |
Chef | 75% | 25% |
Executive Chef | 88% | 12% |
Chef De Cuisine | 90% | 10% |
Corporate Executive Chef | 91% | 9% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
Corporate Executive Chef
Chef De Cuisine
Chef
Lunchroom Supervisor
Waiter/Waitress, Captain
Lunchroom Monitor
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Chef demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among chefs is White, which makes up 55.0% of all chefs. Comparatively, 17.1% of chefs are Hispanic or Latino and 11.4% of chefs are Asian.
- White, 55.0%
- Hispanic or Latino, 17.1%
- Asian, 11.4%
- Black or African American, 10.3%
- Unknown, 5.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
Chef Race
Chef Race | Percentages |
---|---|
White | 55.0% |
Hispanic or Latino | 17.1% |
Asian | 11.4% |
Black or African American | 10.3% |
Unknown | 5.4% |
American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.8% |
Chef race and ethnicity over time
See how chef racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
- White
- Asian
- Hispanic or Latino
- Black or African American
Chef race and ethnicity by year
Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
---|---|---|---|---|
2010 | 61.19% | 11.82% | 8.65% | 15.27% |
2011 | 61.34% | 12.39% | 8.03% | 14.96% |
2012 | 61.35% | 11.22% | 8.08% | 15.66% |
2013 | 62.49% | 11.45% | 7.42% | 15.05% |
2014 | 61.13% | 11.05% | 8.50% | 15.71% |
2015 | 59.59% | 10.69% | 8.56% | 17.47% |
2016 | 61.10% | 10.69% | 8.18% | 16.05% |
2017 | 58.03% | 10.26% | 10.09% | 17.89% |
2018 | 59.64% | 10.56% | 7.89% | 18.50% |
2019 | 59.43% | 10.39% | 9.10% | 17.75% |
2020 | 56.26% | 9.66% | 9.45% | 18.48% |
2021 | 54.98% | 10.29% | 11.41% | 17.15% |
Chef wage gap by race
According to our data, white chefs have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Asian chefs have the lowest average salary at $46,548.
$51,000
$50,000
$49,000
$48,000
$47,000
$46,000
Unknown
White
Black or African American
Asian
Hispanic or Latino
Ethnicity | Salary |
---|---|
Unknown | $47,726 |
White | $49,560 |
Black or African American | $48,570 |
Asian | $46,548 |
Hispanic or Latino | $47,977 |
How Much Do Chef Make?
Average chef age
See how the average age of chefs varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Chef age by race and gender
Race | Male Age | Female Age |
---|---|---|
Black or African American | 43 | 46.5 |
Unknown | 38 | 36.5 |
Asian | 44 | 49 |
Hispanic or Latino | 40 | 43 |
White | 40 | 41 |
American Indian and Alaska Native | 40 |
Chef age breakdown
The average age of chefs is 40+ years years old, representing 56% of the chef population.
40+ years
30-40 years
20-30 years
Chef age breakdown
Chef Years | Percentages |
---|---|
40+ years | 56% |
30-40 years | 28% |
20-30 years | 15% |
Chef educational attainment
The most common degree for chefs is associate degree, with 38% of chefs earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 27% and bachelor's degree degree at 21%.
- Associate, 38%
- Bachelor's, 27%
- High School Diploma, 21%
- Diploma, 8%
- Other Degrees, 6%
Chefs by degree level
Chef Degree | Percentages |
---|---|
Associate | 38% |
Bachelor's | 27% |
High School Diploma | 21% |
Diploma | 8% |
Other Degrees | 6% |
Chef Jobs You Might Like
Chef wage gap by degree level
According to the data, chefs with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $51,438 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, chefs earn a median annual income of $50,718 compared to $46,423 for chefs with an High School Diploma degree.
$53,000
$51,000
$49,000
$47,000
$45,000
High School Diploma or Less
Bachelor's Degree
Some College/ Associate Degree
Education | Salary |
---|---|
High School Diploma or Less | $46,423 |
Bachelor's Degree | $50,718 |
Some College/ Associate Degree | $51,438 |
Learn More About Chef Required Education
Chef employment statistics
Most chefs work for a private in the hospitality industry.
Company size where chefs work
Below, you can see the size of companies where chefs work.
< 50 employees
50 - 100 employees
100 - 500 employees
500 - 1,000 employees
1,000 - 10,000 employees
> 10,000
Chef jobs by employer size
Company Size | Percentages |
---|---|
< 50 employees | 7% |
50 - 100 employees | 10% |
100 - 500 employees | 17% |
500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
1,000 - 10,000 employees | 27% |
> 10,000 employees | 30% |
Chef jobs by company type
Employees with the chef job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most chefs prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Education
Public
Private
Government
Chef jobs by sector
Company Type | Percentages |
---|---|
Education | 5% |
Public | 22% |
Private | 71% |
Government | 2% |
Chef jobs by industry
The most common industries for chefs are hospitality, retail and manufacturing.
Hospitality
Retail
Manufacturing
Health Care
Fortune 500
Show More
Chef industry statistics
Industry | Percentages |
---|---|
Hospitality | 52% |
Retail | 9% |
Manufacturing | 6% |
Health Care | 5% |
Fortune 500 | 5% |
Education | 4% |
Professional | 4% |
Media | 3% |
Government | 2% |
Start-up | 2% |
Internet | 2% |
Technology | 2% |
Transportation | 1% |
Real Estate | 1% |
Non Profits | 1% |
Construction | 1% |
Chef turnover and employment statistics
Chef unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for chefs between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Unemployment rate
Chef unemployment rate by year
Year | Chef Unemployment Rate |
---|---|
2010 | 9.68% |
2011 | 10.91% |
2012 | 6.88% |
2013 | 7.77% |
2014 | 5.16% |
2015 | 5.14% |
2016 | 4.13% |
2017 | 3.91% |
2018 | 3.66% |
2019 | 3.42% |
2020 | 10.00% |
2021 | 11.33% |
Average chef tenure
The average chef stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 53,484 chefs resumes in Zippia's database.
Less than one year
1-2 years
3-4 years
5-7 years
8-10 years
11+ years
Chef tenure statistics
Number of years | Percentages |
---|---|
Less than 1 year | 28% |
1-2 years | 36% |
3-4 years | 13% |
5-7 years | 13% |
8-10 years | 4% |
11+ years | 6% |
Chef LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of chefs that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
Job Title | LGBT | Job Openings |
---|---|---|
Catering Assistant | 6.78% | 10,042 |
Head Waitress | 7.02% | 72,324 |
Gallery Host | 7.29% | 9,545 |
Counter Attendant | 7.36% | 53,208 |
Bartender/Certified Trainer | 7.68% | 80,818 |
Tea Room Manager | 8.43% | 62,358 |
Chef | 8.58% | - |
Similar chef jobs LGBT demographics
Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job Openings |
---|---|---|
Catering Assistant | 6.78% | 10,042 |
Head Waitress | 7.02% | 72,324 |
Gallery Host | 7.29% | 9,545 |
Counter Attendant | 7.36% | 53,208 |
Bartender/Certified Trainer | 7.68% | 80,818 |
Tea Room Manager | 8.43% | 62,358 |
Foreign languages spoken by chefs
The most common foreign language among chefs is Spanish at 48.5%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 14.9% and Italian is the third-most popular at 10.4%.
- Spanish, 48.5%
- French, 14.9%
- Italian, 10.4%
- German, 3.9%
- Japanese, 3.2%
- Other, 19.1%
Chef languages spoken
Foreign Language | Percentages |
---|---|
Spanish | 48.5% |
French | 14.9% |
Italian | 10.4% |
German | 3.9% |
Japanese | 3.2% |
Other | 19.1% |
Chef Jobs
Chef location demographics
The amount you can make as a chef can depend on where you live. For example, the highest salary of chefs is $54,691. Use our chart to find out where that salary is located.
Where do chefs earn the most?
Chefs earn the most in Hawaii, where the average chef salary is $71,544. The map here shows where chefs earn the highest salaries in the U.S. The darker areas across the 50 states highlight the highest salaries.
Average Salary
Which city has the most Chefs?
By looking through more than 53,484 resumes, we found that the most popular places for chefs are New York, NY and Chicago, IL.
Number of Chefs
Chef jobs by state
Rank | State | Number of Jobs | Average Salary |
---|---|---|---|
1 | California | 1,812 | $54,271 |
2 | Texas | 1,776 | $52,587 |
3 | Florida | 1,668 | $43,207 |
4 | Georgia | 891 | $48,701 |
5 | Illinois | 865 | $47,560 |
6 | Ohio | 842 | $36,109 |
7 | New York | 809 | $44,972 |
8 | North Carolina | 791 | $40,324 |
9 | Pennsylvania | 723 | $51,526 |
10 | Virginia | 608 | $39,851 |
11 | Tennessee | 595 | $35,248 |
12 | Indiana | 581 | $41,629 |
13 | Colorado | 549 | $45,910 |
14 | Michigan | 536 | $47,395 |
15 | Arizona | 497 | $47,580 |
16 | Massachusetts | 449 | $55,548 |
17 | New Jersey | 402 | $66,145 |
18 | South Carolina | 401 | $33,257 |
19 | Minnesota | 390 | $39,324 |
20 | Missouri | 388 | $45,055 |
21 | Washington | 338 | $57,071 |
22 | Maryland | 338 | $48,353 |
23 | Kentucky | 295 | $34,789 |
24 | Oklahoma | 288 | $45,499 |
25 | Louisiana | 287 | $38,504 |
26 | Utah | 277 | $40,357 |
27 | Wisconsin | 277 | $34,164 |
28 | Alabama | 276 | $46,431 |
29 | Nevada | 214 | $51,293 |
30 | Oregon | 206 | $46,135 |
31 | Mississippi | 198 | $37,252 |
32 | Connecticut | 183 | $48,020 |
33 | Arkansas | 179 | $40,241 |
34 | Iowa | 174 | $33,821 |
35 | New Mexico | 135 | $46,088 |
36 | Kansas | 126 | $40,345 |
37 | Nebraska | 118 | $34,540 |
38 | District of Columbia | 98 | $51,291 |
39 | West Virginia | 96 | $43,797 |
40 | New Hampshire | 96 | $45,875 |
41 | Idaho | 96 | $35,857 |
42 | Alaska | 85 | $50,304 |
43 | Montana | 77 | $44,671 |
44 | Rhode Island | 66 | $51,863 |
45 | Maine | 60 | $47,627 |
46 | Delaware | 55 | $50,789 |
47 | Wyoming | 41 | $27,439 |
48 | North Dakota | 39 | $46,969 |
49 | South Dakota | 36 | $34,538 |
50 | Hawaii | 34 | $71,544 |
51 | Vermont | 31 | $49,964 |
Where are chefs in high demand?
Chefs are in high demand in New York, NY. There are currently 36 job openings for chefs here. We looked over job openings to determine where in the country chefs are in the most demand.
Jobs Openings
Chef Demographics FAQs
What percentage of Chefs are female?
How many Chef are there in the US?
What percentage of Chefs are black?
What race are most Chefs?
Are Chef jobs male - dominated?
How old is the average Chef?
Have more questions?
See all answers to common food preparation and restaurant questions.Search for chef jobs
Related Jobs Demographics
- Assistant Chef Demographics
- Banquet Chef Demographics
- Banquet Cook Demographics
- Chef De Cuisine Demographics
- Chef De Partie Demographics
- Chef/Catering Demographics
- Cooking Chef Demographics
- Culinary Internship Demographics
- Executive Chef Demographics
- Head Chef Demographics
- Head Cook Demographics
- Line Chef Demographics
- Line Cook Demographics
- Line Cook, Prep Cook Demographics
- Pastry Chef Demographics
Chef Related Hirings
- How To Hire An Assistant Chef
- How To Hire A Banquet Chef
- How To Hire A Banquet Cook
- How To Hire A Chef De Cuisine
- How To Hire A Chef De Partie
- How To Hire A Chef/Catering
- How To Hire A Cooking Chef
- How To Hire A Culinary Internship
- How To Hire An Executive Chef
- How To Hire A Head Chef
- How To Hire A Head Cook
- How To Hire A Line Chef
- How To Hire A Line Cook
- How To Hire A Line Cook, Prep Cook
- How To Hire A Pastry Chef
Chef Related Jobs
- Assistant Chef Jobs Near Me
- Banquet Chef Jobs Near Me
- Banquet Cook Jobs Near Me
- Chef De Cuisine Jobs Near Me
- Chef De Partie Jobs Near Me
- Chef/Catering Jobs Near Me
- Cooking Chef Jobs Near Me
- Culinary Internship Jobs Near Me
- Executive Chef Jobs Near Me
- Head Chef Jobs Near Me
- Head Cook Jobs Near Me
- Line Chef Jobs Near Me
- Line Cook Jobs Near Me
- Line Cook, Prep Cook Jobs Near Me
- Pastry Chef Jobs Near Me
Chef Jobs By Location
- Albany, CA Chef Jobs
- Arlington Heights, IL Chef Jobs
- Chula Vista, CA Chef Jobs
- Dalton, GA Chef Jobs
- Detroit, MI Chef Jobs
- Hillsboro, OR Chef Jobs
- Jefferson, NJ Chef Jobs
- Kankakee, IL Chef Jobs
- Magnolia, AR Chef Jobs
- Mercer Island, WA Chef Jobs
- Norfolk, VA Chef Jobs
- North Hempstead, NY Chef Jobs
- Saint Joseph, MO Chef Jobs
- Seattle, WA Chef Jobs
- Troy, MI Chef Jobs
- Zippia Careers
- Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
- Chef
- Chef Demographics
Updated April 5, 2024