Cooks, Private Household Career, Salary and Skills
Cooks, Private Household have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $47,940 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 1,100. Wage data is published for 1 locations.
Occupation description
Prepare meals in private homes. Includes personal chefs.
O*NET code
35-2013.00
Job zone
3
Typical education
Post-Secondary Certificate
Experience
Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$47,940
Hourly median
$23.05
Employment
1,100
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
$36,090
10th
$40,630
25th
$47,940
Median
$55,450
75th
$91,130
90th
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Critical Thinking | 3.25 | 3.12 |
| Service Orientation | 3.12 | 3.50 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Active Listening | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Speaking | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Monitoring | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Time Management | 3.00 | 3.00 |
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
- APPCA Personal Chef Office
- Cooking e-books
- Cost tracking software
- Email software
- Food inventory software
- Intuit QuickBooks
- Web browser software
- WordPress
- Work scheduling software
- YouTube
Cooks, Private Household salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Cooks, Private Household Salary in NYMedian $37,440 · Employment 140
Related careers
- Food Scientists and TechnologistsNational median $88,720
- DishwashersNational median $34,810
- Dietetic TechniciansNational median $37,640
- BartendersNational median $34,340
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee ShopNational median $31,200
- First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving WorkersNational median $44,080
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender HelpersNational median $33,980
- Waiters and WaitressesNational median $35,230
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.