Chefs and Head Cooks pay range in Auburn
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $39,480 a year or less, while the top 10% make $81,160 or more. The middle half of chefs and head cooks in Auburn earn between $50,300 and $71,820.
- $39K10th
- $50K25th
- $69KMedian
- $72K75th
- $81K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $63,620 | $5,302 | $30.59 |
| Median | $68,830 | $5,736 | $33.09 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $50,300 | $4,192 | $24.18 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $71,820 | $5,985 | $34.53 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Chefs and Head Cooks pay in Auburn vs. Alabama and the U.S.
Chefs and head cooks in Auburn earn about the same as the Alabama average ($63,720) and 5% less than the U.S. average ($66,700). At the median the gap is +10% against the U.S. median of $62,470.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn | $63,620 | $68,830 | $39,480 | $81,160 | 40 |
| Alabama | $63,720 | $62,400 | $39,940 | $85,990 | 1,000 |
| United States | $66,700 | $62,470 | $37,900 | $98,560 | 200,040 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Chefs and Head Cooks salary after taxes in Auburn
On the average salary of $63,620, a single filer in Auburn takes home about $50,630 a year, or $4,219 a month and $1,947 every two weeks. Taxes take 20% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). City occupational taxes (for example in Birmingham and Gadsden) are not included.
Is Auburn a good place for chefs and head cooks? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Auburn area are 12% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 87.9), so the average $63,620 buys what about $72,351 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Auburn ($39,070). A typical home costs $349,842, or 5.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Chefs and Head Cooks salary in other Alabama cities
Auburn ranks 5th of 7 Alabama metro areas for this job; Birmingham pays the most ($68,260).
- Birmingham$68,260
- Huntsville$66,200
- Tuscaloosa$65,240
- Montgomery$64,220
- Auburn$63,620
- Mobile$62,980
- Daphne$62,480
Highest-paying cities for chefs and head cooks
Kahului, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($91,380).
- Kahului, HI$91,380
- Napa, CA$83,750
- San Jose, CA$80,150
- Albany, NY$79,500
- Providence, RI$79,440
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Chefs and Head Cooks salary in Auburn: questions
How much do chefs and head cooks make an hour in Auburn?
$30.59 an hour on average, and $33.09 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level chefs and head cooks salary in Auburn?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $39,480 a year and the 25th percentile is $50,300, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the chefs and head cooks take-home pay in Auburn?
About $50,630 a year ($4,219 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $63,620. City occupational taxes (for example in Birmingham and Gadsden) are not included.
Do chefs and head cooks earn more in Auburn than elsewhere?
The average here is 5% less than the U.S. average for this job ($66,700).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 35-1011; area Auburn-Opelika, AL (12220). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.4%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). City occupational taxes (for example in Birmingham and Gadsden) are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.46, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.46).
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