Chefs & Head Cooks vs Cooks, Restaurant
Median pay is about $25k higher for Chefs & Head Cooks. The usual entry education is high school plus experience for Chefs & Head Cooks and no formal credential for Cooks, Restaurant.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Chefs & Head Cooks | Cooks, Restaurant |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $62,470, higher | $37,390 |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $48,440, higher | $34,010 |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $78,750, higher | $44,620 |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +6.6% Growing fast | +12% Growing fast, higher |
| Openings a year | 25,200 | 218,600 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | High school plus experience | No formal credential |
| Difficulty modeled | 2.6 / 5 | 2 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | Moderate | Moderate |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 22nd pct | 32nd pct |
Skills
Both lean on the same top skills: monitoring, speaking, critical thinking, active listening, reading comprehension, active learning.
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Pay and outlook: BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills: O*NET 30.3. Difficulty, displacement risk and AI exposure are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.