Chefs and Head Cooks pay range in Dubuque
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,740 a year or less, while the top 10% make $74,090 or more. The middle half of chefs and head cooks in Dubuque earn between $41,250 and $63,700.
- $36K10th
- $41K25th
- $48KMedian
- $64K75th
- $74K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $52,600 | $4,383 | $25.29 |
| Median | $47,690 | $3,974 | $22.93 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $41,250 | $3,438 | $19.83 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $63,700 | $5,308 | $30.62 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Chefs and Head Cooks pay in Dubuque vs. Iowa and the U.S.
Chefs and head cooks in Dubuque earn about the same as the Iowa average ($52,840) and 21% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dubuque | $52,600 | $47,690 | $35,740 | $74,090 | 70 |
| Iowa | $52,840 | $47,990 | $36,770 | $74,730 | 1,640 |
| 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 Dubuque
On the average salary of $52,600, a single filer in Dubuque takes home about $43,057 a year, or $3,588 a month and $1,656 every two weeks. Taxes take 18% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.
Is Dubuque a good place for chefs and head cooks? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Dubuque area are 13% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 87.3), so the average $52,600 buys what about $60,233 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Dubuque ($48,750). A typical home costs $279,463, or 5.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Chefs and Head Cooks salary in other Iowa cities
Dubuque ranks 6th of 8 Iowa metro areas for this job; Ames pays the most ($58,540).
- Ames$58,540
- Des Moines$56,320
- Iowa City$54,580
- Sioux City$54,130
- Davenport$53,090
- Dubuque$52,600
- Cedar Rapids$50,920
- Waterloo$50,740
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 Dubuque: questions
How much do chefs and head cooks make an hour in Dubuque?
$25.29 an hour on average, and $22.93 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level chefs and head cooks salary in Dubuque?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,740 a year and the 25th percentile is $41,250, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the chefs and head cooks take-home pay in Dubuque?
About $43,057 a year ($3,588 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $52,600. Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.
Do chefs and head cooks earn more in Dubuque than elsewhere?
The average here is 21% 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 Dubuque, IA (20220). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.8%.
- 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). Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.89, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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