Chefs and Head Cooks pay range in Fort Collins
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $45,910 a year or less, while the top 10% make $83,780 or more. The middle half of chefs and head cooks in Fort Collins earn between $52,620 and $72,820.
- $46K10th
- $53K25th
- $61KMedian
- $73K75th
- $84K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $63,590 | $5,299 | $30.57 |
| Median | $61,090 | $5,091 | $29.37 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $52,620 | $4,385 | $25.30 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $72,820 | $6,068 | $35.01 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Chefs and Head Cooks pay in Fort Collins vs. Colorado and the U.S.
Chefs and head cooks in Fort Collins earn 10% less than the Colorado average ($70,320) and 5% less than the U.S. average ($66,700). At the median the gap is -2% against the U.S. median of $62,470.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Collins | $63,590 | $61,090 | $45,910 | $83,780 | 250 |
| Colorado | $70,320 | $65,400 | $46,330 | $93,270 | 3,970 |
| 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 Fort Collins
On the average salary of $63,590, a single filer in Fort Collins takes home about $51,185 a year, or $4,265 a month and $1,969 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). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Is Fort Collins a good place for chefs and head cooks? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Fort Collins area are in line with the U.S. average (BEA price parity 101.1), so the average $63,590 buys what about $62,881 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Fort Collins ($55,310). A typical home costs $556,500, or 8.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Chefs and Head Cooks salary in other Colorado cities
Fort Collins ranks 5th of 7 Colorado metro areas for this job; Denver pays the most ($72,990).
- Denver$72,990
- Greeley$66,280
- Grand Junction$65,430
- Boulder$64,770
- Fort Collins$63,590
- Colorado Springs$63,350
- Pueblo$59,980
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 Fort Collins: questions
How much do chefs and head cooks make an hour in Fort Collins?
$30.57 an hour on average, and $29.37 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level chefs and head cooks salary in Fort Collins?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $45,910 a year and the 25th percentile is $52,620, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the chefs and head cooks take-home pay in Fort Collins?
About $51,185 a year ($4,265 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $63,590. Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Do chefs and head cooks earn more in Fort Collins 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 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO (22660). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.9%.
- 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). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.15, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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