Chefs and Head Cooks pay range in Springfield
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,960 a year or less, while the top 10% make $77,790 or more. The middle half of chefs and head cooks in Springfield earn between $46,600 and $74,040.
- $37K10th
- $47K25th
- $67KMedian
- $74K75th
- $78K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $63,560 | $5,297 | $30.56 |
| Median | $67,460 | $5,622 | $32.43 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $46,600 | $3,883 | $22.40 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $74,040 | $6,170 | $35.60 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Chefs and Head Cooks salary after taxes in Springfield
On the average salary of $63,560, a single filer in Springfield takes home about $51,200 a year, or $4,267 a month and $1,969 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). The 1% earnings tax applies to people who live or work in Kansas City or St. Louis itself, not in the suburbs.
Is Springfield a good place for chefs and head cooks? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Springfield area are 11% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 88.6), so the average $63,560 buys what about $71,750 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Springfield ($45,780). A typical home costs $272,938, or 4.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Chefs and Head Cooks salary in other Missouri cities
Springfield ranks 3rd of 4 Missouri metro areas for this job; Kansas City pays the most ($67,740).
- Kansas City$67,740
- St. Louis$66,800
- Springfield$63,560
- Columbia$59,310
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
Does this match what you are paid?
Anonymous, no account. Results update as visitors answer.
Share your pay anonymously
Chefs and Head Cooks salary in Springfield: questions
How much do chefs and head cooks make an hour in Springfield?
$30.56 an hour on average, and $32.43 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level chefs and head cooks salary in Springfield?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,960 a year and the 25th percentile is $46,600, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the chefs and head cooks take-home pay in Springfield?
About $51,200 a year ($4,267 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $63,560. The 1% earnings tax applies to people who live or work in Kansas City or St. Louis itself, not in the suburbs.
Do chefs and head cooks earn more in Springfield 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 Springfield, MO (44180). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 6.5%.
- 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). The 1% earnings tax applies to people who live or work in Kansas City or St. Louis itself, not in the suburbs.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.29, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.29).
Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.