Chefs and Head Cooks pay range in Virginia Beach
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $41,480 a year or less, while the top 10% make $80,510 or more. The middle half of chefs and head cooks in Virginia Beach earn between $48,880 and $71,610.
- $41K10th
- $49K25th
- $58KMedian
- $72K75th
- $81K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $61,000 | $5,083 | $29.33 |
| Median | $57,730 | $4,811 | $27.75 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $48,880 | $4,073 | $23.50 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $71,610 | $5,968 | $34.43 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Chefs and Head Cooks pay in Virginia Beach vs. Virginia and the U.S.
Chefs and head cooks in Virginia Beach earn 7% less than the Virginia average ($65,320) and 9% less than the U.S. average ($66,700). At the median the gap is -8% against the U.S. median of $62,470.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach | $61,000 | $57,730 | $41,480 | $80,510 | 530 |
| Virginia | $65,320 | $63,270 | $43,010 | $90,470 | 3,600 |
| 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 Virginia Beach
On the average salary of $61,000, a single filer in Virginia Beach takes home about $48,500 a year, or $4,042 a month and $1,865 every two weeks. Taxes take 20% of gross pay.
The Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in NC | $49,268 | $4,106 |
| Working in VA | $48,500 | $4,042 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Virginia Beach a good place for chefs and head cooks? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Virginia Beach area are 2% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 97.9), so the average $61,000 buys what about $62,282 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Virginia Beach ($49,430). A typical home costs $373,678, or 6.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Chefs and Head Cooks salary in other Virginia cities
Virginia Beach ranks 5th of 8 Virginia metro areas for this job; Richmond pays the most ($65,130).
- Richmond$65,130
- Charlottesville$64,240
- Harrisonburg$64,050
- Blacksburg$62,000
- Virginia Beach$61,000
- Roanoke$59,700
- Lynchburg$57,390
- Winchester$57,250
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 Virginia Beach: questions
How much do chefs and head cooks make an hour in Virginia Beach?
$29.33 an hour on average, and $27.75 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level chefs and head cooks salary in Virginia Beach?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $41,480 a year and the 25th percentile is $48,880, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the chefs and head cooks take-home pay in Virginia Beach?
About $48,500 a year ($4,042 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $61,000.
Do chefs and head cooks earn more in Virginia Beach than elsewhere?
The average here is 9% 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC (47260). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.7%.
- 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 0.54, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.54).
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