Chefs and Head Cooks pay range in Buffalo
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $48,500 a year or less, while the top 10% make $103,510 or more. The middle half of chefs and head cooks in Buffalo earn between $59,010 and $92,080.
- $48K10th
- $59K25th
- $74KMedian
- $92K75th
- $104K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $75,600 | $6,300 | $36.35 |
| Median | $74,290 | $6,191 | $35.72 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $59,010 | $4,918 | $28.37 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $92,080 | $7,673 | $44.27 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Chefs and Head Cooks pay in Buffalo vs. New York and the U.S.
Chefs and head cooks in Buffalo earn about the same as the New York average ($74,840) and 13% more than the U.S. average ($66,700). At the median the gap is +19% against the U.S. median of $62,470.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo | $75,600 | $74,290 | $48,500 | $103,510 | 640 |
| New York | $74,840 | $70,670 | $46,260 | $120,370 | 17,430 |
| United States | $66,700 | $62,470 | $37,900 | $98,560 | 200,040 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Chefs and Head Cooks salary after taxes in Buffalo
On the average salary of $75,600, a single filer in Buffalo takes home about $58,462 a year, or $4,872 a month and $2,249 every two weeks. Taxes take 23% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). New York City (up to 3.876%) and Yonkers income taxes are not included.
Is Buffalo a good place for chefs and head cooks? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Buffalo area are 4% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 95.8), so the average $75,600 buys what about $78,878 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Buffalo ($50,790). A typical home costs $288,316, or 3.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Chefs and Head Cooks salary in other New York cities
Buffalo ranks 3rd of 13 New York metro areas for this job; Albany pays the most ($79,500).
- Albany$79,500
- Kingston$77,740
- Buffalo$75,600
- Kiryas Joel$74,890
- New York$74,840
- Rochester$72,420
- Glens Falls$71,280
- Syracuse$70,520
- Ithaca$68,230
- Elmira$65,960
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 Buffalo: questions
How much do chefs and head cooks make an hour in Buffalo?
$36.35 an hour on average, and $35.72 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level chefs and head cooks salary in Buffalo?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $48,500 a year and the 25th percentile is $59,010, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the chefs and head cooks take-home pay in Buffalo?
About $58,462 a year ($4,872 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $75,600. New York City (up to 3.876%) and Yonkers income taxes are not included.
Do chefs and head cooks earn more in Buffalo than elsewhere?
The average here is 13% more than the U.S. average for this job ($66,700).
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 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY (15380). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.7%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- 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 (2025 rules). New York City (up to 3.876%) and Yonkers income taxes are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.93, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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