Chefs and Head Cooks pay range in Nashville
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $55,960 a year or less, while the top 10% make $105,900 or more. The middle half of chefs and head cooks in Nashville earn between $58,220 and $83,010.
- $56K10th
- $58K25th
- $70KMedian
- $83K75th
- $106K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $75,580 | $6,298 | $36.34 |
| Median | $70,420 | $5,868 | $33.86 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $58,220 | $4,852 | $27.99 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $83,010 | $6,918 | $39.91 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Chefs and Head Cooks pay in Nashville vs. Tennessee and the U.S.
Chefs and head cooks in Nashville earn 7% more than the Tennessee average ($70,710) and 13% more than the U.S. average ($66,700). At the median the gap is +13% against the U.S. median of $62,470.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville | $75,580 | $70,420 | $55,960 | $105,900 | 1,780 |
| Tennessee | $70,710 | $69,810 | $45,410 | $98,860 | 3,820 |
| 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 Nashville
On the average salary of $75,580, a single filer in Nashville takes home about $62,001 a year, or $5,167 a month and $2,385 every two weeks. Taxes take 18% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Nashville a good place for chefs and head cooks? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Nashville area are 4% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 96.3), so the average $75,580 buys what about $78,453 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.4 times the median wage of all jobs in Nashville ($50,390). A typical home costs $455,958, or 6.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Chefs and Head Cooks salary in other Tennessee cities
Nashville ranks 1st of 10 Tennessee metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Nashville$75,580
- Memphis$68,660
- Knoxville$67,690
- Jackson$67,370
- Chattanooga$65,470
- Cleveland$65,210
- Clarksville$62,870
- Johnson City$58,110
- Kingsport$57,730
- Morristown$57,340
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 Nashville: questions
How much do chefs and head cooks make an hour in Nashville?
$36.34 an hour on average, and $33.86 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level chefs and head cooks salary in Nashville?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $55,960 a year and the 25th percentile is $58,220, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the chefs and head cooks take-home pay in Nashville?
About $62,001 a year ($5,167 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $75,580. Tennessee has no state income tax.
Do chefs and head cooks earn more in Nashville than elsewhere?
The average here is 13% 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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN (34980). 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 no state income tax.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.26, this job is 1.3 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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