Chefs and Head Cooks pay range in Columbus
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,960 a year or less, while the top 10% make $95,050 or more. The middle half of chefs and head cooks in Columbus earn between $45,280 and $86,970.
- $38K10th
- $45K25th
- $63KMedian
- $87K75th
- $95K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $63,580 | $5,298 | $30.57 |
| Median | $62,920 | $5,243 | $30.25 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $45,280 | $3,773 | $21.77 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $86,970 | $7,248 | $41.81 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Chefs and Head Cooks salary after taxes in Columbus
On the average salary of $63,580, a single filer in Columbus takes home about $50,842 a year, or $4,237 a month and $1,955 every two weeks. Taxes take 20% of gross pay.
The Columbus, GA-AL metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in GA | $50,842 | $4,237 |
| Working in AL | $50,600 | $4,217 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Columbus a good place for chefs and head cooks? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Columbus area are 11% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 89.3), so the average $63,580 buys what about $71,201 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.4 times the median wage of all jobs in Columbus ($43,540). A typical home costs $209,527, or 3.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Chefs and Head Cooks salary in other Georgia cities
Columbus ranks 7th of 11 Georgia metro areas for this job; Atlanta pays the most ($73,840).
- Atlanta$73,840
- Savannah$68,320
- Gainesville$67,820
- Augusta$67,300
- Brunswick$66,680
- Warner Robins$66,160
- Columbus$63,580
- Macon$60,950
- Athens$60,760
- Albany$59,840
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 Columbus: questions
How much do chefs and head cooks make an hour in Columbus?
$30.57 an hour on average, and $30.25 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level chefs and head cooks salary in Columbus?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,960 a year and the 25th percentile is $45,280, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the chefs and head cooks take-home pay in Columbus?
About $50,842 a year ($4,237 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $63,580.
Do chefs and head cooks earn more in Columbus than elsewhere?
The average here is 5% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($67,002).
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 Columbus, GA-AL (17980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.7%.
- 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 (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.61, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.61).
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