Direct kitchen operations, create menus, and lead culinary teams in restaurants and hotels. Median salary in Durham: $67K/year. Data from BLS, O*NET, and H-1B disclosures.
Figures represent annual base salary in Durham, North Carolina. Reviewed by SalaryOptics Editorial · How we calculate this →
Analysis derived from the salary, COL, tax, and labor-market figures above — specific to this role and city.
Average 1-bedroom rent in Durham ($1,500/mo) consumes approximately 41% of an after-tax median Executive Chef salary. Financial planners typically recommend keeping housing under 30% of take-home — a salary at the 75th percentile ($90K) brings that ratio into a more comfortable range here.
Only 2% of Executive Chef positions offer remote flexibility, meaning the Durham salary above represents what local employers actually pay — not a remote-anywhere rate. Geographic constraints reinforce the local market, so the salary range above is more directly applicable than for remote-friendly roles.
Based on BLS 2022–2032 Employment Projections and WEF Future of Jobs Report 2026. At current growth rates, median salary reaches $67K by 2030.
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The median Executive Chef salary in Durham, NC is $67,000 per year as of Q1 2026. This figure represents the midpoint of all reported compensation for this role in the Durham–NC metropolitan area, based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics, H-1B visa disclosures from the Department of Labor, and O*NET occupational data.
Entry-level Executive Chefs in Durham with 0–2 years of experience typically earn between $51,000 and $67,000 annually. Mid-career professionals with 3–7 years command $67,000 to $90,000, while senior-level practitioners with 8+ years of experience regularly earn $90,000 to $125,000 or more.
Durham has a cost of living index of 100 compared to the US national average of 100. Living costs in Durham are close to the national average. North Carolina has a 4.75% state income tax rate.
Culinary degree or apprenticeship. 2% of these roles offer some remote flexibility.