Chefs and Head Cooks pay range in Watertown
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,200 a year or less, while the top 10% make $99,800 or more. The middle half of chefs and head cooks in Watertown earn between $46,670 and $79,430.
- $35K10th
- $47K25th
- $63KMedian
- $79K75th
- $100K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $64,240 | $5,353 | $30.88 |
| Median | $62,740 | $5,228 | $30.16 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $46,670 | $3,889 | $22.44 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $79,430 | $6,619 | $38.19 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Chefs and Head Cooks pay in Watertown vs. New York and the U.S.
Chefs and head cooks in Watertown earn 14% less than the New York average ($74,840) and 4% less than the U.S. average ($66,700). At the median the gap is +0% against the U.S. median of $62,470.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watertown | $64,240 | $62,740 | $35,200 | $99,800 | 40 |
| 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 Watertown
On the average salary of $64,240, a single filer in Watertown takes home about $50,869 a year, or $4,239 a month and $1,956 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 (2025 rules). New York City (up to 3.876%) and Yonkers income taxes are not included.
Is Watertown a good place for chefs and head cooks? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Watertown area are 12% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 87.7), so the average $64,240 buys what about $73,258 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.3 times the median wage of all jobs in Watertown ($47,600). A typical home costs $230,401, or 3.6 years of this average salary before tax.
Chefs and Head Cooks salary in other New York cities
Watertown ranks 12th 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
- Watertown$64,240
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 Watertown: questions
How much do chefs and head cooks make an hour in Watertown?
$30.89 an hour on average, and $30.17 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level chefs and head cooks salary in Watertown?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,200 a year and the 25th percentile is $46,670, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the chefs and head cooks take-home pay in Watertown?
About $50,869 a year ($4,239 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $64,240. New York City (up to 3.876%) and Yonkers income taxes are not included.
Do chefs and head cooks earn more in Watertown than elsewhere?
The average here is 4% less 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 Watertown-Fort Drum, NY (48060). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 10.9%.
- 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 0.86, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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