Chefs and Head Cooks pay range in Boise
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $33,590 a year or less, while the top 10% make $82,450 or more. The middle half of chefs and head cooks in Boise earn between $42,450 and $66,930.
- $34K10th
- $42K25th
- $48KMedian
- $67K75th
- $82K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $54,970 | $4,581 | $26.43 |
| Median | $47,500 | $3,958 | $22.84 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $42,450 | $3,538 | $20.41 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $66,930 | $5,578 | $32.18 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Chefs and Head Cooks pay in Boise vs. Idaho and the U.S.
Chefs and head cooks in Boise earn 4% less than the Idaho average ($57,390) and 18% less than the U.S. average ($66,700). At the median the gap is -24% against the U.S. median of $62,470.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boise | $54,970 | $47,500 | $33,590 | $82,450 | 270 |
| Idaho | $57,390 | $52,000 | $33,590 | $83,240 | 550 |
| 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 Boise
On the average salary of $54,970, a single filer in Boise takes home about $44,543 a year, or $3,712 a month and $1,713 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Idaho's zero bracket uses the latest published amount ($4,811, 2025).
Is Boise a good place for chefs and head cooks? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Boise area are 2% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 98.4), so the average $54,970 buys what about $55,869 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Boise ($49,100). A typical home costs $496,288, or 9.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Chefs and Head Cooks salary in other Idaho cities
Boise ranks 2nd of 3 Idaho metro areas for this job; Coeur d'Alene pays the most ($66,680).
- Coeur d'Alene$66,680
- Boise$54,970
- Idaho Falls$53,990
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 Boise: questions
How much do chefs and head cooks make an hour in Boise?
$26.43 an hour on average, and $22.84 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level chefs and head cooks salary in Boise?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $33,590 a year and the 25th percentile is $42,450, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the chefs and head cooks take-home pay in Boise?
About $44,543 a year ($3,712 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $54,970. Idaho's zero bracket uses the latest published amount ($4,811, 2025).
Do chefs and head cooks earn more in Boise than elsewhere?
The average here is 18% 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 Boise City, ID (14260). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 7.6%.
- 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). Idaho's zero bracket uses the latest published amount ($4,811, 2025).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.53, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.53).
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