State comparison · 2025
Chefs and Head Cooks salary: District of Columbia vs New Mexico
Chefs and Head Cooks in District of Columbia earn a median of $76,420. In New Mexico, $62,250. After cost-of-living, the gap is 3% — not 22.8%.
Nominal pay gap
+22.8%
District of Columbia vs New Mexico
COL-adjusted gap
+3%
After BEA Regional Price Parities
District of Columbia
Chefs and Head Cooks
- Median
- $76,420
- p25
- $63,550
- p75
- $81,360
- p10
- $56,570
- p90
- $104,660
- COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
- 109.9
New Mexico
Chefs and Head Cooks
- Median
- $62,250
- p25
- $48,540
- p75
- $83,260
- p10
- $43,370
- p90
- $100,010
- COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
- 92.2
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Cost-of-living adjustment from BEA Regional Price Parities (overall index). Hiring velocity from DOL OFLC public disclosure data, recent 180 days vs prior. See methodology.