Chefs & Head Cooks vs Hosts & Hostesses
Median pay is about $31k higher for Chefs & Head Cooks. The usual entry education is high school plus experience for Chefs & Head Cooks and no formal credential for Hosts & Hostesses.
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 | Hosts & Hostesses |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $62,470, higher | $31,200 |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $48,440, higher | $27,570 |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $78,750, higher | $36,250 |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +6.6% Growing fast, higher | +3.4% Growing |
| Openings a year | 25,200 | 107,100 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | High school plus experience | No formal credential |
| Difficulty modeled | 2.6 / 5 | 1.2 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | Moderate | Moderate |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 22nd pct | 22nd 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.