Chefs and Head Cooks pay range in Traverse City
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,730 a year or less, while the top 10% make $79,770 or more. The middle half of chefs and head cooks in Traverse City earn between $45,910 and $66,610.
- $39K10th
- $46K25th
- $57KMedian
- $67K75th
- $80K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $59,220 | $4,935 | $28.47 |
| Median | $57,000 | $4,750 | $27.40 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $45,910 | $3,826 | $22.07 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $66,610 | $5,551 | $32.02 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Chefs and Head Cooks pay in Traverse City vs. Michigan and the U.S.
Chefs and head cooks in Traverse City earn 5% less than the Michigan average ($62,460) and 11% less than the U.S. average ($66,700). At the median the gap is -9% against the U.S. median of $62,470.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traverse City | $59,220 | $57,000 | $38,730 | $79,770 | 130 |
| Michigan | $62,460 | $60,070 | $42,170 | $82,000 | 5,360 |
| 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 Traverse City
On the average salary of $59,220, a single filer in Traverse City takes home about $47,493 a year, or $3,958 a month and $1,827 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 (2025 rules).
Is Traverse City a good place for chefs and head cooks? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Traverse City area are 7% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 93.4), so the average $59,220 buys what about $63,424 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Traverse City ($47,470). A typical home costs $421,806, or 7.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Chefs and Head Cooks salary in other Michigan cities
Traverse City ranks 10th of 14 Michigan metro areas for this job; Ann Arbor pays the most ($64,590).
- Ann Arbor$64,590
- Detroit$64,580
- Kalamazoo$64,040
- Grand Rapids$63,450
- Midland$63,400
- Niles$62,300
- Jackson$60,520
- Lansing$60,350
- Battle Creek$60,130
- Traverse City$59,220
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 Traverse City: questions
How much do chefs and head cooks make an hour in Traverse City?
$28.47 an hour on average, and $27.40 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level chefs and head cooks salary in Traverse City?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,730 a year and the 25th percentile is $45,910, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the chefs and head cooks take-home pay in Traverse City?
About $47,493 a year ($3,958 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $59,220.
Do chefs and head cooks earn more in Traverse City than elsewhere?
The average here is 11% 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 Traverse City, MI (45900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.2%.
- 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 (2025 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.48, this job is 1.5 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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