Occupation is in demand.
Wages for chefs and dinner cooks vary based on their duties and the work setting. Wages also vary greatly by the part of the country and the type of restaurant in which chefs and dinner cooks work. Wages are usually highest in elegant restaurants and hotels, where many executive chefs work.
Benefits also vary. Full-time chefs and dinner cooks often receive typical benefits. These include vacation, sick leave, and health insurance. Part-time workers usually do not receive benefits. Some employers also provide employees with uniforms and free meals.
Chefs and head cooks (SOC 35-1011)
Cooks, institution and cafeteria (SOC 35-2012)
Cooks, restaurant (SOC 35-2014)
| Location |
Pay Period | |
||
| 25% |
Median |
75% |
||
| Illinois | Hourly | $22.56 | $28.33 | $38.68 |
| Yearly | $46,916 | $58,927 | $80,461 | |
| Champaign Area | Hourly | $18.82 | $23.77 | $35.17 |
| Yearly | $39,160 | $49,444 | $73,156 | |
| Cook County | Hourly | $22.56 | $29.74 | $38.68 |
| Yearly | $46,917 | $61,854 | $80,463 | |
| Decatur Area | Hourly | $18.33 | $23.41 | $28.54 |
| Yearly | $38,136 | $48,709 | $59,365 | |
| Dekalb-Elgin-Aurora Area | Hourly | $22.56 | $28.33 | $37.96 |
| Yearly | $46,916 | $58,927 | $78,960 | |
| Edwardsville Area | Hourly | $19.46 | $23.67 | $36.02 |
| Yearly | $40,480 | $49,241 | $74,911 | |
| Kankakee-Morris-Pontiac Area | Hourly | $18.36 | $23.60 | $31.66 |
| Yearly | $38,197 | $49,088 | $65,850 | |
| Lake County | Hourly | $22.56 | $29.07 | $38.68 |
| Yearly | $46,917 | $60,453 | $80,462 | |
| Mt. Vernon-Marion-Carbondale Area | Hourly | $18.12 | $23.82 | $33.54 |
| Yearly | $37,703 | $49,542 | $69,771 | |
| Northwest Illinois Area | Hourly | $18.03 | $23.03 | $31.90 |
| Yearly | $37,507 | $47,904 | $66,358 | |
| Peoria-Bloomington Area | Hourly | $18.17 | $24.00 | $34.28 |
| Yearly | $37,792 | $49,918 | $71,319 | |
| Quincy-Macomb-Galesburg Area | Hourly | $18.03 | $23.03 | $29.99 |
| Yearly | $37,507 | $47,904 | $62,374 | |
| Rock Island-Moline Area | Hourly | $14.06 | $19.51 | $24.90 |
| Yearly | $29,240 | $40,594 | $51,795 | |
| Rockford Area | Hourly | $18.63 | $23.56 | $29.95 |
| Yearly | $38,736 | $48,993 | $62,278 | |
| Shawnee National Forest Area | Hourly | $18.03 | $23.03 | $29.04 |
| Yearly | $37,507 | $47,904 | $60,386 | |
| Springfield Area | Hourly | $18.48 | $23.09 | $29.39 |
| Yearly | $38,443 | $48,034 | $61,139 | |
| St. Louis-Belleville Area | Hourly | $19.46 | $24.83 | $36.02 |
| Yearly | $40,480 | $51,652 | $74,910 | |
| Will County | Hourly | $22.56 | $28.33 | $37.84 |
| Yearly | $46,917 | $58,926 | $78,710 | |
| United States | Hourly | $20.65 | $27.17 | $35.01 |
| Yearly | $42,950 | $56,520 | $72,820 | |
| Location |
Pay Period | |
||
| 25% |
Median |
75% |
||
| Illinois | Hourly | $14.31 | $15.95 | $18.45 |
| Yearly | $29,765 | $33,176 | $38,375 | |
| Champaign Area | Hourly | $14.11 | $17.15 | $21.87 |
| Yearly | $29,352 | $35,669 | $45,484 | |
| Charleston-Effingham-Centralia Area | Hourly | $13.67 | $14.28 | $16.38 |
| Yearly | $28,442 | $29,697 | $34,073 | |
| Cook County | Hourly | $15.31 | $17.33 | $19.36 |
| Yearly | $31,859 | $36,041 | $40,268 | |
| Decatur Area | Hourly | $13.93 | $15.07 | $17.71 |
| Yearly | $28,972 | $31,342 | $36,828 | |
| Dekalb-Elgin-Aurora Area | Hourly | $15.20 | $17.14 | $18.49 |
| Yearly | $31,615 | $35,654 | $38,454 | |
| Edwardsville Area | Hourly | $13.60 | $14.89 | $17.42 |
| Yearly | $28,275 | $30,977 | $36,233 | |
| Jacksonville-Carlinville-Litchfield Area | Hourly | $13.45 | $14.37 | $17.21 |
| Yearly | $27,990 | $29,882 | $35,807 | |
| Kankakee-Morris-Pontiac Area | Hourly | $13.79 | $14.51 | $17.79 |
| Yearly | $28,677 | $30,178 | $36,991 | |
| Lake County | Hourly | $14.90 | $16.06 | $18.66 |
| Yearly | $30,996 | $33,426 | $38,815 | |
| McHenry County | Hourly | $14.90 | $16.92 | $18.36 |
| Yearly | $30,996 | $35,188 | $38,192 | |
| Mt. Vernon-Marion-Carbondale Area | Hourly | $12.54 | $13.71 | $16.86 |
| Yearly | $26,088 | $28,533 | $35,073 | |
| Northwest Illinois Area | Hourly | $13.72 | $14.37 | $17.14 |
| Yearly | $28,534 | $29,887 | $35,648 | |
| Peoria-Bloomington Area | Hourly | $13.69 | $14.95 | $17.76 |
| Yearly | $28,480 | $31,095 | $36,926 | |
| Quincy-Macomb-Galesburg Area | Hourly | $13.81 | $14.73 | $17.91 |
| Yearly | $28,712 | $30,626 | $37,267 | |
| Rock Island-Moline Area | Hourly | $13.56 | $14.32 | $16.88 |
| Yearly | $28,193 | $29,785 | $35,112 | |
| Rockford Area | Hourly | $13.77 | $15.73 | $17.64 |
| Yearly | $28,642 | $32,714 | $36,700 | |
| Shawnee National Forest Area | Hourly | $13.22 | $13.97 | $15.89 |
| Yearly | $27,497 | $29,076 | $33,037 | |
| Springfield Area | Hourly | $13.81 | $14.48 | $17.10 |
| Yearly | $28,709 | $30,116 | $35,556 | |
| St. Louis-Belleville Area | Hourly | $13.39 | $14.26 | $17.28 |
| Yearly | $27,850 | $29,659 | $35,932 | |
| Vermilion County | Hourly | $14.21 | $16.71 | $18.67 |
| Yearly | $29,576 | $34,754 | $38,823 | |
| Will County | Hourly | $15.06 | $16.60 | $18.62 |
| Yearly | $31,318 | $34,526 | $38,721 | |
| United States | Hourly | $13.22 | $15.63 | $18.15 |
| Yearly | $27,490 | $32,510 | $37,760 | |
| Location |
Pay Period | |
||
| 25% |
Median |
75% |
||
| Illinois | Hourly | $14.35 | $17.49 | $19.11 |
| Yearly | $29,857 | $36,370 | $39,750 | |
| Champaign Area | Hourly | $14.08 | $15.07 | $17.80 |
| Yearly | $29,273 | $31,351 | $37,028 | |
| Charleston-Effingham-Centralia Area | Hourly | $13.64 | $14.29 | $17.31 |
| Yearly | $28,377 | $29,726 | $35,999 | |
| Cook County | Hourly | $15.10 | $18.20 | $19.96 |
| Yearly | $31,408 | $37,856 | $41,532 | |
| Decatur Area | Hourly | $13.97 | $14.69 | $17.63 |
| Yearly | $29,070 | $30,556 | $36,673 | |
| Dekalb-Elgin-Aurora Area | Hourly | $15.09 | $17.85 | $19.26 |
| Yearly | $31,394 | $37,139 | $40,074 | |
| Edwardsville Area | Hourly | $14.08 | $14.99 | $17.80 |
| Yearly | $29,295 | $31,181 | $37,022 | |
| Jacksonville-Carlinville-Litchfield Area | Hourly | $13.62 | $14.48 | $17.34 |
| Yearly | $28,325 | $30,111 | $36,065 | |
| Kankakee-Morris-Pontiac Area | Hourly | $13.97 | $15.17 | $17.91 |
| Yearly | $29,064 | $31,556 | $37,256 | |
| Lake County | Hourly | $15.08 | $18.07 | $19.26 |
| Yearly | $31,382 | $37,579 | $40,074 | |
| Mt. Vernon-Marion-Carbondale Area | Hourly | $13.74 | $14.44 | $17.27 |
| Yearly | $28,581 | $30,046 | $35,909 | |
| Northwest Illinois Area | Hourly | $13.51 | $14.56 | $17.16 |
| Yearly | $28,108 | $30,273 | $35,689 | |
| Peoria-Bloomington Area | Hourly | $13.81 | $14.52 | $17.48 |
| Yearly | $28,714 | $30,199 | $36,360 | |
| Quincy-Macomb-Galesburg Area | Hourly | $13.73 | $14.52 | $17.29 |
| Yearly | $28,559 | $30,207 | $35,950 | |
| Rock Island-Moline Area | Hourly | $13.13 | $14.72 | $17.47 |
| Yearly | $27,302 | $30,613 | $36,328 | |
| Rockford Area | Hourly | $13.81 | $14.83 | $17.62 |
| Yearly | $28,723 | $30,847 | $36,644 | |
| Shawnee National Forest Area | Hourly | $13.51 | $14.39 | $17.34 |
| Yearly | $28,111 | $29,940 | $36,065 | |
| Springfield Area | Hourly | $14.07 | $15.40 | $17.77 |
| Yearly | $29,272 | $32,032 | $36,966 | |
| St. Louis-Belleville Area | Hourly | $13.96 | $14.63 | $17.79 |
| Yearly | $29,056 | $30,436 | $37,011 | |
| Vermilion County | Hourly | $13.45 | $14.33 | $17.26 |
| Yearly | $27,971 | $29,810 | $35,898 | |
| Will County | Hourly | $14.90 | $17.72 | $19.11 |
| Yearly | $30,993 | $36,854 | $39,750 | |
| United States | Hourly | $13.80 | $16.40 | $17.96 |
| Yearly | $28,690 | $34,110 | $37,350 | |