Prepare meals in private homes. Includes personal chefs.
National median · BLS
$47,940
▲ +7.66%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$53,680
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
1,100
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Cooks, Private Household
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay
$36,090
25th
$40,630
Median (50th)
$47,940
75th
$55,450
90th — top pay
$91,130
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
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⇄
Monthly—
Every 2 weeks—
Weekly—
Daily—
Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for Cooks, Private Household
BLS projects employment of cooks, private household to grow 5.1% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations.
About 5,000 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
35,400 → 37,200
+1,800 jobs
Projected change
+5.1%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
5,000
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
Postsecondary nondegree award
Plus less than 5 years experience
Self-employed
79.7% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 3)
Medium Preparation Needed. Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
BLS state medians, plus the same figure adjusted for local prices (BEA Regional Price Parities). Tap a state for its full range and H-1B pay.
State
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Cooks, Private Household salaries by metro area
Search by city, ZIP code or metro name. Tap a metro for its full range.
Metro area
Median
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Cost-adjusted
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Skills & tools
Skills needed for Cooks, Private Household
How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.
Top skills
Critical Thinking3.3
Service Orientation3.1
Active Listening3.0
Complex Problem Solving3.0
Judgment and Decision Making3.0
Monitoring3.0
Reading Comprehension3.0
Social Perceptiveness3.0
Speaking3.0
Time Management3.0
Top knowledge areas
Customer and Personal Service4.6
Food Production4.1
Sales and Marketing3.7
Administration and Management3.1
Mathematics3.0
Production and Processing3.0
English Language2.9
Economics and Accounting2.6
Software and technology used
Intuit QuickBooksWordPressAPPCA Personal Chef OfficeCooking e-booksCost tracking softwareEmail softwareFood inventory softwareWeb browser softwareWork scheduling softwareYouTube
Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
About the job
What cooks, private household do
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.
Also called
Certified Personal Chef (CPC)Personal ChefPersonal Private ChefPrivate Chef
More job titles for this occupation (11)
CookCooking ChefCulinary ArtistCulinary ChefCulinary SpecialistCulinary WorkerDinner CookHoliday Food PrepperHousehold CookPersonal Certified Chef (PCC)Private Executive Chef
Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.
Similar jobs and how they pay
Occupations O*NET lists as closely related to Cooks, Private Household, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $47,940.
