Yakima, WA
This area's median is $9,350 (14.9%) above the $62,920 median in Yakima, WA.
Chefs and Head Cooks OEWS Estimate for Thurston County
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA estimate used for Thurston County, Washington
BLS publishes OEWS estimates for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, not individual counties.
View the canonical Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA area page →Area Median Annual Wage
$72,270
Year: 2025
Area Employment Estimate
140
Jobs across the full Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA area
SOC Code
35-1011
Standard Occupational Classification
Reading this estimate
The middle half of annual wages runs from $53,930 to $76,010 in 2025, a span of $22,080.
The area median is $3,740 (4.9%) below Washington's $76,010 median for this occupation in 2025.
This context describes the full Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA labor market, which includes Thurston County.
The survey does not group these wages by experience level. These comparisons use annual wages before taxes. They do not adjust for local living costs.
Wage Percentiles
Swipe horizontally to see all columns.
| Percentile | Annual Wage | Hourly Wage (Approx) |
|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile | $48,100 | $23.13 |
| 25th Percentile | $53,930 | $25.93 |
| 50th Percentile (Median) | $72,270 | $34.75 |
| 75th Percentile | $76,010 | $36.54 |
| 90th Percentile | $87,360 | $42.00 |
OEWS Area vs. Statewide Median
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA Area Median
$72,270
Washington State Median
$76,010
Difference
−$3,740
% Difference
4.9% below
Chefs and Head Cooks Pay Questions
What wage estimate is used for Chefs and Head Cooks in Thurston County, WA?
The 2025 BLS OEWS median for Chefs and Head Cooks in the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA area is $72,270. That published area includes Thurston County, but the estimate is not county-specific.
Does the employment count represent only Thurston County?
No. BLS estimates 140 Chefs and Head Cooks jobs across the full Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA area. The count must not be interpreted as a Thurston County job count.
What is the 90th-percentile wage in the area used for Thurston County?
The 2025 BLS OEWS 90th-percentile annual wage for Chefs and Head Cooks in the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA area is $87,360. It is an area-wide estimate, not a county-specific figure.
Compare distinct labor markets
Each area appears once. These 2025 comparisons use published medians for the same occupation; missing estimates and lower bounds are excluded. Differences between survey estimates may reflect sampling variation.
Longview-Kelso, WA
This area's median is $9,190 (14.6%) above the $63,080 median in Longview-Kelso, WA.
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
This area's median is $6,580 (10.0%) above the $65,690 median in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
Walla Walla, WA
This area's median is $4,150 (6.1%) above the $68,120 median in Walla Walla, WA.
Bellingham, WA
This area's median is $1,860 (2.6%) above the $70,410 median in Bellingham, WA.
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
This area's median is $730 (1.0%) above the $71,540 median in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA.
Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area
This area's median is $860 (1.2%) below the $73,130 median in Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area.
Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA
This area's median is $1,420 (1.9%) below the $73,690 median in Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA.
Kennewick-Richland, WA
This area's median is $1,480 (2.0%) below the $73,750 median in Kennewick-Richland, WA.
Western Washington nonmetropolitan area
This area's median is $2,370 (3.2%) below the $74,640 median in Western Washington nonmetropolitan area.
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA
This area's median is $2,670 (3.6%) below the $74,940 median in Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA.
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
This area's median is $8,060 (10.0%) below the $80,330 median in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA.
Other County Views for Chefs and Head Cooks
Each link identifies the published OEWS area used for that county; figures are not county estimates.
King County$80,330 areaPierce County$80,330 areaSnohomish County$80,330 areaKitsap County$74,940 areaClallam County$74,640 areaGrays Harbor County$74,640 areaIsland County$74,640 areaJefferson County$74,640 areaLewis County$74,640 areaMason County$74,640 areaPacific County$74,640 areaSan Juan County$74,640 area
About This Data
Wage data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 estimates. See the official OEWS tables. BLS publishes estimates by metro and nonmetropolitan area rather than by county; figures on this page reflect the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA area, which includes Thurston County.
Hourly wages are approximated using a standard 2,080-hour work year. A "+" marks a lower bound: the wage is at least the displayed amount. Values without a "+" are published point estimates. An estimate can exceed a reporting threshold without being capped. See the BLS definitions of wages and percentiles.