Chefs and Head Cooks Salary in Trenton-Princeton, NJ
According to the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the median annual wage for Chefs and Head Cooks in Trenton-Princeton, NJ is $70,210. BLS estimates approximately 480 people work in this occupation in Trenton-Princeton, NJ. Trenton-Princeton, NJ is 12.4% above the national median ($62,470).
Salary Distribution
Not everyone earns the median. Percentile wages show the range of pay within this occupation.
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $34,890 | $16.78 |
| 25th percentile | $49,420 | $23.76 |
| Median (50th) | $70,210 | $33.75 |
| 75th percentile | $84,150 | $40.46 |
| 90th percentile | $107,910 | $51.88 |
Data Reliability
BLS OEWS is a survey, not a full census — every estimate carries a margin of error. The relative standard error (RSE) below is BLS’s own measure of how much an estimate could vary; lower is more precise.
- Wage estimate
- RSE 5% — Reliable
- Employment estimate
- RSE 13.2% — Reliable
Where Does Your Salary Fall?
Enter an annual salary to see roughly where it falls among reported wages for this occupation, based on the percentile points above.
Concentration
- Jobs per 1,000
- 1.989
- Location quotient
- 1.55
Cost-of-Living Adjusted Salary
Trenton-Princeton, NJ’s regional price level is above the national average (index 103.18, where 100 = U.S. average). Adjusted for that, the median salary has the purchasing power of $68,046 at the national price level.
This is a Career Atlas USA calculation based on BLS wage data and BEA Regional Price Parities. It is not a separate BLS wage estimate. Wage data: May 2025. Cost-of-living data: 2024.
Sources
Wage data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — May 2025 (release 25).
Figures shown as “Not available” reflect wages the source does not publish (e.g. suppressed for reliability), not zero.