Chefs and Head Cooks salary
in Knoxville, TN
- Middle 50%
- $53,520–$77,600
- vs U.S. median
- 0%
- Metro rank
- #67 of 160
Chefs and Head Cooks in the Knoxville, TN metro earn a median of $62,770 a year, based on BLS estimates for 470 jobs (May 2025). That is in line with the U.S. median of $62,470 and 10% below the TN statewide median of $69,810. It ranks #67 of 160 metros with published figures for this job.
- SOURCEBLS OEWS, May 2025
- SAMPLE470 jobs (estimate)
- SCOPEall employers, all experience levels
- PERIODMay 2025 estimates
Full percentile breakdown
BLS · metro vs U.S.
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Chefs and Head Cooks pay in other TN metros
4 metros · BLS
| Metro | Median |
|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $70,420 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $66,230 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | $63,690 |
| East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $62,300 |
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RELATED JOBS IN KNOXVILLE
Questions
What is the average Chefs and Head Cooks salary in Knoxville?
The BLS median is $62,770 a year (May 2025). Half of the 470 jobs pay between $53,520 and $77,600. The 10th percentile is $42,670 and the 90th is $99,050.
Is Knoxville a high-paying metro for Chefs and Head Cooks?
That is in line with the U.S. median of $62,470 and 10% below the TN statewide median of $69,810. It ranks #67 of 160 U.S. metros with published BLS figures for this job.
How much do Chefs and Head Cooks make an hour in Knoxville?
About $30.18 an hour at the median (the BLS annual figure of $62,770 divided by 2,080 hours, the conversion BLS uses). The middle half earn about $25.73–$37.31 an hour. Straight-time pay, before overtime and shift differentials.
Does this include experience levels?
BLS figures cover all experience levels together. Employer filings carry a DOL wage level, which the free checker can filter by (approximate).
Sources: U.S. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (national + state) (metro area estimates, all employers); employer rows from U.S. DOL OFLC LCA Disclosure Data, FY2026 Q3 (LCA_Disclosure_Data_FY2026_Q3.xlsx). Base pay only. Estimates can have sampling error, especially for smaller metros.