Chefs and Head Cooks pay range in Portland
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $47,640 a year or less, while the top 10% make $95,190 or more. The middle half of chefs and head cooks in Portland earn between $56,200 and $79,450.
- $48K10th
- $56K25th
- $66KMedian
- $79K75th
- $95K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $69,430 | $5,786 | $33.38 |
| Median | $65,690 | $5,474 | $31.58 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $56,200 | $4,683 | $27.02 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $79,450 | $6,621 | $38.20 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Chefs and Head Cooks pay in Portland vs. Oregon and the U.S.
Chefs and head cooks in Portland earn about the same as the Oregon average ($67,510) and 4% more than the U.S. average ($66,700). At the median the gap is +5% against the U.S. median of $62,470.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland | $69,430 | $65,690 | $47,640 | $95,190 | 1,580 |
| Oregon | $67,510 | $63,600 | $45,910 | $95,180 | 2,510 |
| 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 Portland
On the average salary of $69,430, a single filer in Portland takes home about $52,720 a year, or $4,393 a month and $2,028 every two weeks. Taxes take 24% of gross pay.
The Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in WA | $57,674 | $4,806 |
| Working in OR | $52,720 | $4,393 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.
Is Portland a good place for chefs and head cooks? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Portland area are 5% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 105.4), so the average $69,430 buys what about $65,860 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Portland ($60,690). A typical home costs $552,022, or 8.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Chefs and Head Cooks salary in other Oregon cities
Portland ranks 1st of 6 Oregon metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
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 Portland: questions
How much do chefs and head cooks make an hour in Portland?
$33.38 an hour on average, and $31.58 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level chefs and head cooks salary in Portland?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $47,640 a year and the 25th percentile is $56,200, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the chefs and head cooks take-home pay in Portland?
About $52,720 a year ($4,393 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $69,430. Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.
Do chefs and head cooks earn more in Portland than elsewhere?
The average here is 4% 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA (38900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.3%.
- 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). Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.02, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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