Chef Salary in Chicago {} JSON
Salary data for Chef positions in Chicago, IL based on 443 active listings. Updated March 11, 2026.
Dataset Contract
For Data Teams
This page is the human-readable wrapper around a deterministic salary feed. The JSON endpoint is intended for programmatic access; HTML commentary does not change the underlying salary metrics.
- Machine-readable URL:
https://jobsjobsjobsapp.com/data/salaries/chef/chicago.json - Fields include averages, percentiles, min/max range, active listing count, and histogram buckets.
- Methodology: salary dataset documentation
Market Intelligence
In Chicago, the salary landscape for chefs reflects a robust demand with 443 open positions, indicating a competitive labor market. The trimmed average salary of $47,237 suggests a healthy middle ground, yet the wide full range from $20,000 to $140,000 highlights a significant variance based on experience, skill level, and the specific culinary segment. As the cost of living in Chicago pressures employer offers, understanding where your offer lands within the percentiles can empower your negotiation strategy.
What This Market Is Signaling
- The wide P10–P90 spread ($20,000–$140,000) reflects the diversity of culinary roles, from entry-level positions in fast-casual dining to high-end restaurant chef roles that command premium salaries.
- With 3358 positions paying $20,000 and only 401 reaching up to $140,000, the data illustrates a market skewed towards lower salary offers, likely stemming from a high volume of entry-level roles in the city.
- The concentration of active employers like Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants and Sodexo Live! indicates a strong presence of large restaurant groups and catering companies, which may influence salary structures based on their operational scales and budget allocations.
- The gap between the 25th percentile ($20,000) and the 75th percentile ($80,000) reveals a significant difference in the experience required, with mid-career chefs able to leverage more advanced culinary skills and management responsibilities for higher wages.
- Cost of living pressures in Chicago may push employers to offer competitive salaries, but they also influence entry-level positions to remain at the minimum wage or slightly above, reflecting a balance between affordability and market competitiveness.
Salary Distribution — Chef in Chicago
Hover bars for details · Based on 443 listings
Raw Data (JSON)
Embed this dataset in your application. Open CORS — no API key required.
curl https://jobsjobsjobsapp.com/data/salaries/chef/chicago.json
{
"schema_version": "2026-04-21",
"source": "jobsjobsjobsapp.com",
"data_type": "aggregated_job_posting_salary_data",
"primary_source": "Adzuna",
"methodology_url": "https://jobsjobsjobsapp.com/data/methodology/",
"refresh_cadence": "nightly target; stale markets are refreshed on a rotating schedule",
"as_of": "2026-03-11T07:10:20Z",
"coverage_note": "Aggregated posting signal from the ingestion pipeline, not a complete census of every open job.",
"deduplication_note": "Counts reflect the upstream posting feed and Jobs Jobs Jobs validation; duplicate postings may still exist in aggregated totals.",
"title": "Chef",
"city": "Chicago",
"state": "IL",
"url": "https://jobsjobsjobsapp.com/data/salaries/chef/chicago/",
"avg_salary": 47237,
"median_salary": 40000,
"salary_p25": 20000,
"salary_p75": 80000,
"salary_min": 20000,
"salary_max": 140000,
"total_jobs": 443,
"salary_histogram": { "100000": 501, "120000": 295, "140000": 401, "20000": 3358, "40000": 2862, "60000": 2608, "80000": 2408 },
"updated_at": "2026-03-11T07:10:20Z"
}Career Intelligence — Chef in Chicago
Go beyond raw salary data: purchasing power, market demand, career growth potential, and skills by level.
Chef — City Comparison
Hover for exact figures
Chef Salaries in Other Cities
Other Roles in Chicago
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average salary for a Chef in Chicago?
The average salary for a Chef in Chicago is $47,237. This average is driven by a mix of entry-level positions and higher-paid roles, reflecting the diverse culinary landscape in the city.
What do the top-paid Chefs in Chicago earn?
Top-paid chefs in Chicago earn around $80,000, as indicated by the 75th percentile. Such salaries typically go to chefs with significant experience, specialized skills, and leadership roles within esteemed establishments.
How many Chef jobs are open in Chicago right now?
There are currently 443 open Chef positions in Chicago, signaling a high demand for culinary talent in the region.
Data sourced from Adzuna job listings. Updated on a nightly target schedule. Salaries are gross annual estimates based on active postings. Treat counts as directional market coverage, not a guarantee that every open job or duplicate has been captured. Not financial advice. ← Data Hub