How much does a chef and head cook make in Houston?
$45,400a year
Median yearly pay for chef and head cooks in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area. That is $21.83 an hour or $3,783 a month.
- Hourly
- $21.83
- Vs. national median
- -27%
- Rank among cities
- 312 of 340
- Jobs in the area
- 3,610
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $27,560Median: $45,400Highest 10%: $89,200
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $27,560 | $13.25 | |
| 25th | $38,790 | $18.65 | |
| Median | $45,400 | $21.83 | |
| 75th | $68,600 | $32.98 | |
| 90th | $89,200 | $42.88 |
Other cities in Texas
Median yearly pay for chef and head cooks.
| Dallas, TX | $64,100 |
| Austin, TX | $62,400 |
| Beaumont, TX | $58,440 |
| Midland, TX | $58,100 |
| College Station, TX | $57,920 |
| Lubbock, TX | $56,950 |
| Killeen, TX | $53,000 |
| Tyler, TX | $52,050 |
| Texarkana, TX | $50,270 |
| San Angelo, TX | $50,190 |
| Odessa, TX | $49,820 |
| Laredo, TX | $49,670 |
| San Antonio, TX | $48,900 |
| Brownsville, TX | $47,850 |
| Abilene, TX | $47,840 |
| Longview, TX | $46,870 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | $46,150 |
| Amarillo, TX | $45,370 |
| El Paso, TX | $43,020 |
| Waco, TX | $42,660 |
| McAllen, TX | $39,140 |
Related jobs in Houston
Same field, median yearly pay.
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Worker | $36,410 |
| Cook | $35,660 |
| Cook | $35,050 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $35,020 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Worker | $31,200 |
| Food Server | $29,050 |
| Dishwasher | $28,600 |
| Cook | $27,900 |
| Fast Food and Counter Worker | $27,570 |
| Host and Hostess | $26,730 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a chef and head cook make an hour in Houston?
The median hourly pay in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area is $21.83 ($45,400 a year).
Do chef and head cooks make more in Houston than the national average?
No: $45,400 against $62,470 nationally, 27% less.
How does Houston compare with the rest of Texas?
The median in Texas is $56,080, so Houston pays 19% less.
Where does Houston rank for chef and head cook pay?
312 of 340 metro areas with data.
How much does a chef and head cook make starting out in Houston?
The lowest-paid 10% make $27,560 or less a year; the top 10% make $89,200 or more.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.