Industries with the Highest Wages
You think that the only way to have a career in the culinary arts is to own your own restaurant. This presents a lot of challenges since opening a restaurant is a tremendous investment and requires long hours and hard work. However, there are many exciting industries employing chefs and cooks, allowing you to pursue your dream career without the high pressure environment of owning your own establishment. In fact, you can earn a significant income as a chef in numerous different industries.
Company management is the highest paying industry for chefs, with salaries averaging at $67,900. Who would think you could make such a great income cooking food? Amusement parks are the second highest paying employers of chefs, with average annual incomes of $64,240. And while working for the federal government might not be as much fun as working for Disney, it is the third highest paying industry for chefs. Professional chefs employed by the federal government earn an average salary of $61,240.
Professional chefs working for business organizations earn substantial incomes with average salaries at approximately $58,890. In the grocery wholesale business, professional chefs earn $56,470 in annual income on average.
It’s easy to assume there is only one route for any given profession. But there are many different paths to take in a single profession. If you have a talent for creating delicious food, you will find that high-paying opportunities exist in a variety of industries.
Industries with the Highest Employment Levels
It can be difficult to start a career as a professional chef. A career in the culinary arts is a very popular choice and so competition for chef positions can be steep. However, that doesn’t mean that those with dreams of a career as a chef should give up. In fact, there are many industries with very high employment levels for chefs and head cooks. If you start looking in the right places, your career as a chef can have momentum from the very start.
For example, full-service restaurants employ more chefs than any other industry in the business. In this industry, professional chefs earn an average annual income of $39,930. In the traveler accommodation industry, professional chefs earn significantly more money and also enjoy high employment levels. The special food services industry is another with high demand for professional chefs and offer average salaries of $43,600.
Limited service diners promise high employment levels but much lower salaries than other industries. Chefs working in limited-service diners earn average annual incomes of approximately $33,690. But in recreation industries, the industry with the fifth highest employment level, professional chefs earn an impressive average salary of $50,720.
Getting started as a professional chef might bring an exciting income from the get-go or it may require that you start with a more modest figure. Launching a career in the field you enjoy is the most important element in choosing an industry for your profession.
