Chefs and Head Cooks pay range in Amherst
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $44,730 a year or less, while the top 10% make $85,780 or more. The middle half of chefs and head cooks in Amherst earn between $49,030 and $82,240.
- $45K10th
- $49K25th
- $66KMedian
- $82K75th
- $86K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $68,620 | $5,718 | $32.99 |
| Median | $66,450 | $5,538 | $31.95 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $49,030 | $4,086 | $23.57 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $82,240 | $6,853 | $39.54 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Chefs and Head Cooks salary after taxes in Amherst
On the average salary of $68,620, a single filer in Amherst takes home about $53,993 a year, or $4,499 a month and $2,077 every two weeks. Taxes take 21% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave premiums are not included.
Is Amherst a good place for chefs and head cooks? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Amherst area are in line with the U.S. average (BEA price parity 100.2), so the average $68,620 buys what about $68,454 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Amherst ($57,030). A typical home costs $363,400, or 5.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Chefs and Head Cooks salary in other Massachusetts cities
Amherst ranks 3rd of 6 Massachusetts metro areas for this job; Boston pays the most ($75,450).
- Boston$75,450
- Barnstable$73,060
- Amherst$68,620
- Worcester$67,080
- Springfield$65,500
- Pittsfield$63,620
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 Amherst: questions
How much do chefs and head cooks make an hour in Amherst?
$32.99 an hour on average, and $31.95 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level chefs and head cooks salary in Amherst?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $44,730 a year and the 25th percentile is $49,030, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the chefs and head cooks take-home pay in Amherst?
About $53,993 a year ($4,499 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $68,620. Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave premiums are not included.
Do chefs and head cooks earn more in Amherst than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as 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 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA (11200). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.1%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Census median home value (Zillow does not cover this metro). 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). Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave premiums are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.83, this job is 1.8 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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