SOC 35-1011 · Duluth, MN-WI metro

Chefs and Head Cooks Salary in Duluth, MN

The average salary for chefs and head cooks in Duluth, Minnesota is $61,210 a year ($29.43 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $56,790: half of the 100 people in this job in the Duluth, MN-WI metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 9% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($67,002).

$61,210average per year

$29.43 / hourMedian $56,790Take-home ≈ $48,723

  • $47K10th
  • $48K25th
  • $57KMedian
  • $72K75th
  • $86K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

100people in this job
-9%vs U.S. metro average
#3 of 5Minnesota metros
89cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Chefs and Head Cooks pay range in Duluth

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $46,570 a year or less, while the top 10% make $86,450 or more. The middle half of chefs and head cooks in Duluth earn between $48,140 and $72,090.

  • $47K10th
  • $48K25th
  • $57KMedian
  • $72K75th
  • $86K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$61,210$5,101$29.43
Median$56,790$4,732$27.30
Entry level (25th percentile)$48,140$4,012$23.14
Experienced (75th percentile)$72,090$6,008$34.66

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.

Chefs and Head Cooks salary after taxes in Duluth

On the average salary of $61,210, a single filer in Duluth takes home about $48,723 a year, or $4,060 a month and $1,874 every two weeks. Taxes take 20% of gross pay.

The Duluth, MN-WI metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:

StatePer yearPer month
Working in WI$49,233$4,103
Working in MN$48,723$4,060

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Minnesota Paid Leave premiums are not included.

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Is Duluth a good place for chefs and head cooks? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Duluth area are 11% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 88.8), so the average $61,210 buys what about $68,955 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Duluth ($50,000). A typical home costs $264,350, or 4.3 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $61,210 is worth in another city

Chefs and Head Cooks salary in other Minnesota cities

Duluth ranks 3rd of 5 Minnesota metro areas for this job; Minneapolis pays the most ($67,570).

All Chefs and Head Cooks salaries in Minnesota

Highest-paying cities for chefs and head cooks

Kahului, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($91,380).

Chefs and Head Cooks salary by city

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Chefs and Head Cooks salary in Duluth: questions

How much do chefs and head cooks make an hour in Duluth?

$29.43 an hour on average, and $27.30 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level chefs and head cooks salary in Duluth?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $46,570 a year and the 25th percentile is $48,140, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the chefs and head cooks take-home pay in Duluth?

About $48,723 a year ($4,060 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $61,210. Minnesota Paid Leave premiums are not included.

Do chefs and head cooks earn more in Duluth than elsewhere?

The average here is 9% 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 Duluth, MN-WI (20260). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.9%.
  • 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). Minnesota Paid Leave premiums are not included.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.60, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.60).

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