Jobs Similar to Chefs and Head Cooks
The careers below use the most similar skills, knowledge and work activities to chefs and head cooks, according to O*NET 31.0. The closest are Food Service Managers, First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers and First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers.
Chefs and Head Cooks: $62,470 median pay · usual preparation: Training or associate.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
The 20 most similar careers
| # | Career | Similarity | Median pay (vs. Chefs and Head Cooks) | Usual preparation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Food Service Managers | 83% | $69,390+11% | High school |
| 2 | First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving WorkersSame group | 80% | $44,080−29% | High school |
| 3 | First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers | 77% | $49,100−21% | High school |
| 4 | Farm Labor Contractors | 75% | $58,460−6% | High school |
| 5 | Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | 74% | $37,450−40% | High school |
| 6 | Butchers and Meat Cutters | 74% | $40,140−36% | High school |
| 7 | Cooks, Restaurant | 73% | $37,390−40% | High school |
| 8 | Bartenders | 73% | $34,340−45% | High school |
| 9 | Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers | 72% | $89,900+44% | Bachelor's degree |
| 10 | Cooks, Fast Food | 72% | $30,890−51% | High school |
| 11 | First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | 72% | $48,520−22% | High school |
| 12 | Gambling Managers | 71% | $93,220+49% | High school |
| 13 | Industrial Production Managers | 71% | $126,060+102% | Bachelor's degree |
| 14 | Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling | 71% | $79,520+27% | Bachelor's degree |
| 15 | Fast Food and Counter Workers | 71% | $31,200−50% | High school |
| 16 | First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | 71% | $74,450+19% | Training or associate |
| 17 | Cooks, Private Household | 70% | $47,940−23% | Training or associate |
| 18 | First-Line Supervisors of Gambling Services Workers | 70% | $63,820+2% | High school |
| 19 | First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers | 70% | $59,320−5% | Training or associate |
| 20 | Lodging Managers | 70% | $69,250+11% | Bachelor's degree |
- 1Food Service Managers
83% similar · $69,390 (+11%) · High school
- 2First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers
80% similar · $44,080 (−29%) · High school · Same group
- 3First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers
77% similar · $49,100 (−21%) · High school
- 4Farm Labor Contractors
75% similar · $58,460 (−6%) · High school
- 5Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
74% similar · $37,450 (−40%) · High school
- 6Butchers and Meat Cutters
74% similar · $40,140 (−36%) · High school
- 7Cooks, Restaurant
73% similar · $37,390 (−40%) · High school
- 8Bartenders
73% similar · $34,340 (−45%) · High school
- 9Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers
72% similar · $89,900 (+44%) · Bachelor's degree
- 10Cooks, Fast Food
72% similar · $30,890 (−51%) · High school
- 11First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers
72% similar · $48,520 (−22%) · High school
- 12Gambling Managers
71% similar · $93,220 (+49%) · High school
- 13Industrial Production Managers
71% similar · $126,060 (+102%) · Bachelor's degree
- 14Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling
71% similar · $79,520 (+27%) · Bachelor's degree
- 15Fast Food and Counter Workers
71% similar · $31,200 (−50%) · High school
- 16First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers
71% similar · $74,450 (+19%) · Training or associate
- 17Cooks, Private Household
70% similar · $47,940 (−23%) · Training or associate
- 18First-Line Supervisors of Gambling Services Workers
70% similar · $63,820 (+2%) · High school
- 19First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers
70% similar · $59,320 (−5%) · Training or associate
- 20Lodging Managers
70% similar · $69,250 (+11%) · Bachelor's degree
Similarity: weighted correlation of O*NET 31.0 transferable skills (35%), knowledge (25%), work activities (15%) and interests (15%). Pay and schooling do not change it. Pay change compares BLS May 2025 national medians; careers with only a broader BLS group wage are not compared. “Same group”: the same BLS occupation group (SOC minor group). Methodology
Similar jobs that pay more
Only careers that usually need no more preparation than chefs and head cooks.
Similar jobs that need less preparation
- Food Service Managers83% similar · High school
- First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers80% similar · High school
- First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers77% similar · High school
- Farm Labor Contractors75% similar · High school
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria74% similar · High school
- Butchers and Meat Cutters74% similar · High school
Thinking of a career change?
Similar is not the same as a good next step. Our career-change list for chefs and head cooks also weighs pay drops and extra schooling, and puts jobs outside the field first.
Jobs that can lead here
Careers where chefs and head cooks is one of the best career-change matches (match score in brackets).
Questions about jobs like chefs and head cooks
What jobs are most similar to chefs and head cooks?
By O*NET 31.0 data, the closest are Food Service Managers (83% similar), First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers (80% similar), First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers (77% similar), Farm Labor Contractors (75% similar) and Cooks (Institution and Cafeteria) (74% similar).
Which jobs like chefs and head cooks pay more?
Among the 20 most similar careers, Industrial Production Managers ($126,060, +102%; usually a bachelor's degree), Gambling Managers ($93,220, +49%; usually a high school diploma) and Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers ($89,900, +44%; usually a bachelor's degree) have the highest BLS median pay compared with chefs and head cooks ($62,470). Without more preparation than chefs and head cooks usually need: Gambling Managers, First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers and Food Service Managers.
How is the similarity percentage worked out?
We compare how important each transferable skill, knowledge area, work activity and interest area is in both jobs (O*NET 31.0 ratings) with a weighted correlation. 100% would mean the same profile. Unlike our career-change matches, pay and extra schooling do not lower the similarity on this page.