Chefs and Head Cooks salary in Washington, DC
The median chefs and head cooks in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV earns $74,900 a year, 20% above the US median. After tax that is roughly $4,596 a month.
- 10th percentile
- $43,110
- 25th percentile
- $59,930
- Median percentile
- $74,900
- 75th percentile
- $80,060
- 90th percentile
- $102,870
Based on 4,680 employed. Data period: BLS OEWS May 2025. Percentiles show the spread of pay, not experience; reading the 25th percentile as "entry level" is only an approximation.
What you keep
$55,156 take-home a year
| Gross pay | $74,900 |
| Federal income tax | −$7,648 |
| Social Security + Medicare | −$5,730 |
| District of Columbia income tax (approx.) | −$6,367 |
| Monthly take-home | $4,596 |
| Every two weeks | $2,121 |
Does it go far here?
$68,789Median pay in Washington, DC is worth this at average US prices (local price level 108.9 vs 100).
44%of take-home pay goes to the median rent ($2,027 a month, Census ACS).
Top-paying jobs in Washington, DC
| Job | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Psychiatrists | $246,990 |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | $239,200 |
| Family Medicine Physicians | $225,140 |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | $223,250 |
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | $209,750 |
| Physicians, All Other | $208,710 |
| Public Relations Managers | $195,190 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $195,190 |
All chefs and head cooks salaries · Take-home pay in District of Columbia