Cooks, private household salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $36,090 | $17.35 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $47,940 | $23.05 |
| Mean (average) | $53,680 | $25.81 |
| 90th percentile | $91,130 | $43.81 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Cooks, private household pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 2 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | Data unavailable | 110 | 0.83 | ||
| New York | $37,440 | $36,310 | $42,860 | 140 | 2.12 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for cooks, private household
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 5,000. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 79.7%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for cooks, private household
- Typical entry education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- Related work experience
- Less than 5 years
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Culinary Arts/Chef Training CIP 12.0503
- Restaurant, Culinary, and Catering Management/Manager CIP 12.0504
- Food Preparation/Professional Cooking/Kitchen Assistant CIP 12.0505
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Peel, wash, trim, and cook vegetables and meats, and bake breads and pastries.
- Cool, package, label, and freeze foods for later consumption and provide instructions for reheating.
- Plan menus according to employers' needs and diet restrictions.
- Shop for or order food and kitchen supplies and equipment.
- Prepare meals in private homes according to employers' recipes or tastes, handling all meals for the family and possibly for other household staff.
- Keep records pertaining to menus, finances, and other business-related issues.
- Stock, organize, and clean kitchens and cooking utensils.
- Direct the operation and organization of kitchens and all food-related activities, including the presentation and serving of food.
Technology skills
- Intuit QuickBooks (hot technology)
- WordPress (hot technology)
- APPCA Personal Chef Office
- Cooking e-books
- Cost tracking software
- Email software
- Food inventory software
- Web browser software
- Work scheduling software
- YouTube
Transferable skills for career changers: Service Orientation, Social Perceptiveness, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Time Management, Coordination.
Common job titles: Certified Personal Chef (CPC), Personal Chef, Personal Private Chef, Private Chef.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do cooks, private household make?
The national median annual wage for cooks, private household was $47,940 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $36,090 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $91,130. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do cooks, private household need?
BLS lists postsecondary nondegree award as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with less than 5 years of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is cooks, private household a growing career?
BLS projects employment of cooks, private household to change +5.1% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 5,000 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay cooks, private household the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were New York ($37,440). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.