Chefs and Head Cooks pay range in Brownsville
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $29,060 a year or less, while the top 10% make $75,860 or more. The middle half of chefs and head cooks in Brownsville earn between $34,970 and $59,300.
- $29K10th
- $35K25th
- $48KMedian
- $59K75th
- $76K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $49,040 | $4,087 | $23.58 |
| Median | $47,850 | $3,988 | $23.00 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $34,970 | $2,914 | $16.81 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $59,300 | $4,942 | $28.51 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Chefs and Head Cooks pay in Brownsville vs. Texas and the U.S.
Chefs and head cooks in Brownsville earn 17% less than the Texas average ($59,350) and 26% less than the U.S. average ($66,700). At the median the gap is -23% against the U.S. median of $62,470.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brownsville | $49,040 | $47,850 | $29,060 | $75,860 | 120 |
| Texas | $59,350 | $56,080 | $31,380 | $92,290 | 13,270 |
| 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 Brownsville
On the average salary of $49,040, a single filer in Brownsville takes home about $41,584 a year, or $3,465 a month and $1,599 every two weeks. Taxes take 15% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Brownsville a good place for chefs and head cooks? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Brownsville area are 14% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 86.0), so the average $49,040 buys what about $57,040 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.3 times the median wage of all jobs in Brownsville ($36,490). A typical home costs $207,150, or 4.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Chefs and Head Cooks salary in other Texas cities
Brownsville ranks 22nd of 23 Texas metro areas for this job; Austin pays the most ($68,120).
- Austin$68,120
- Dallas$66,880
- Midland$60,410
- Beaumont$60,090
- Lubbock$58,230
- Odessa$56,640
- College Station$56,540
- San Antonio$56,170
- Houston$54,810
- Brownsville$49,040
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 Brownsville: questions
How much do chefs and head cooks make an hour in Brownsville?
$23.58 an hour on average, and $23.01 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level chefs and head cooks salary in Brownsville?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $29,060 a year and the 25th percentile is $34,970, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the chefs and head cooks take-home pay in Brownsville?
About $41,584 a year ($3,465 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $49,040. Texas has no state income tax.
Do chefs and head cooks earn more in Brownsville than elsewhere?
The average here is 26% 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 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX (15180). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.3%.
- 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 no state income tax.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.59, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.59).
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