Chefs and Head Cooks pay range in Trenton
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $34,890 a year or less, while the top 10% make $107,910 or more. The middle half of chefs and head cooks in Trenton earn between $49,420 and $84,150.
- $35K10th
- $49K25th
- $70KMedian
- $84K75th
- $108K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $70,640 | $5,887 | $33.96 |
| Median | $70,210 | $5,851 | $33.75 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $49,420 | $4,118 | $23.76 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $84,150 | $7,012 | $40.46 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Chefs and Head Cooks pay in Trenton vs. New Jersey and the U.S.
Chefs and head cooks in Trenton earn 3% less than the New Jersey average ($72,930) and 6% more than the U.S. average ($66,700). At the median the gap is +12% against the U.S. median of $62,470.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trenton | $70,640 | $70,210 | $34,890 | $107,910 | 480 |
| New Jersey | $72,930 | $74,280 | $49,200 | $100,100 | 9,100 |
| 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 Trenton
On the average salary of $70,640, a single filer in Trenton takes home about $56,170 a year, or $4,681 a month and $2,160 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). New Jersey's employee unemployment, disability and family-leave contributions are not included.
Is Trenton a good place for chefs and head cooks? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Trenton area are 3% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.2), so the average $70,640 buys what about $68,463 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Trenton ($63,490). A typical home costs $446,377, or 6.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Chefs and Head Cooks salary in other New Jersey cities
Trenton ranks 2nd of 3 New Jersey metro areas for this job; Atlantic City pays the most ($75,460).
- Atlantic City$75,460
- Trenton$70,640
- Vineland$70,560
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 Trenton: questions
How much do chefs and head cooks make an hour in Trenton?
$33.96 an hour on average, and $33.75 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level chefs and head cooks salary in Trenton?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $34,890 a year and the 25th percentile is $49,420, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the chefs and head cooks take-home pay in Trenton?
About $56,170 a year ($4,681 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $70,640. New Jersey's employee unemployment, disability and family-leave contributions are not included.
Do chefs and head cooks earn more in Trenton than elsewhere?
The average here is 6% more 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 Trenton-Princeton, NJ (45940). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.0%.
- 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). New Jersey's employee unemployment, disability and family-leave contributions are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.55, this job is 1.6 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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