How to Become a Culinary Professional in Maryland (2026)

Q: How much do culinary professionals earn in Maryland?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), culinary professionals in Maryland earned a median annual wage of approximately $37,820. Employment concentration in Maryland is roughly 0.71 of the national average, meaning fewer workers per capita than the U.S. as a whole.

Q: What is the job outlook for culinary professionals in Maryland?

Maryland currently employs approximately 17,690 workers, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 14.9% national employment change for this occupation from 2024 to 2034.

Updated June 8, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Maryland employs about 17,690 culinary professionals earning a median $37,820 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Most culinary professionals train through an approved program before entering the field in Maryland.

Compare Culinary Professional Schools in Maryland

BOC Score, tuition, graduation rate, and median graduate earnings from federal IPEDS and U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard data. Tuition is the published annual figure for the latest reported year and excludes room, board, books and fees. Earnings are reported across all programs at the school (all majors), not a single trade. Distance is measured from the page's primary location.
#	School	BOC Score (0–100)	Tuition (published, per year)	Median grad earnings (all majors)	Graduation rate	Online	Distance
1	Frederick Community College	71.1	$3,849 in-state / $10,042 out-of-state	$54,058	37%	Yes*	20 mi
2	Blue Ridge Community and Technical College	71.1	$4,752 in-state / $8,808 out-of-state	$45,612	32%	Yes*	46 mi
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3	YTI Career Institute-York	66.8	Contact school for pricing	$40,192	45%	Yes*	62 mi
4	Northern Virginia Community College	62.5	$5,891 in-state / $12,409 out-of-state	$57,487	33%	Yes*	25 mi
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5	Allegany College of Maryland	53.1	$4,938 in-state / $12,618 out-of-state	$47,031	40%	Yes*	87 mi
6	Columbia College	52.0	Contact school for pricing	$29,040	80%	Yes*	21 mi
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7	Prince George's Community College	48.7	$4,034 in-state / $8,762 out-of-state	$62,100	18%	Yes*	30 mi
8	Delaware Technical Community College-Terry	48.4	$5,445 in-state / $12,308 out-of-state	$55,102	22%	Yes*	88 mi
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9	Chesapeake College	47.5	$4,274 in-state / $8,768 out-of-state	$52,363	35%	Yes*	63 mi
10	Lincoln College of Technology-Columbia	37.7	Contact school for pricing	$47,136	68%	—	20 mi
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Schools closest to the page's primary location are gathered first, then ranked by BOC Score; distance from the page's primary location is shown for reference. The BOC Score is an independent measure of school outcomes (graduation, earnings, net price, retention) expressed as a 0–100 percentile within each school's peer group; higher is better and advertising never affects it. *Online availability refers to coursework; hands-on trade training is completed in person. Read the full methodology.

Maryland employs approximately 17,690 culinary professionals according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $37,820 ¹. Nationally, culinary professional employment is projected to grow 14.9% from 2024 to 2034, with about 250,700 openings per year ². This page covers how to become a Culinary Professional in Maryland, including requirements, training programs, and salary data.

At a Glance

Training paths: trade school or community college
Typical timeline: varies by program; confirm with the school
Median wage (Maryland): $37,820 per year ¹

Quick Answers About How to Become a Culinary Professional in Maryland

How to become a Culinary Professional in Maryland? Complete a training program or apprenticeship, gain work experience, and meet any state or employer requirements for culinary professionals in Maryland.

How long does it take? culinary professional training length in Maryland varies by program. Confirm current requirements with the school and the state board before you enroll.

What do culinary professionals earn in Maryland? The median annual wage for culinary professionals in Maryland is $37,820 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $35,030 and experienced professionals can earn $47,840 or more ¹.

How to Become a Culinary Professional in Maryland

Finish high school or earn a GED. Most Maryland training programs require a high school diploma or GED to enroll.
Complete an approved training program. Enroll in an approved culinary professional program in Maryland that combines classroom instruction with supervised practice.
Gain supervised work experience. Build documented on-the-job hours under a qualified supervisor; confirm the exact total currently required with the licensing board.
Meet state and employer requirements. Confirm any registration, certification, or employer requirements that apply to culinary professionals in Maryland before you start working.

Steps and hour totals vary by credential level; confirm current requirements with the state board before you apply.

Culinary Professional Wages by Metro Area in Maryland

Chefs and Head Cooks Wages by Metro Area in Maryland

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), chefs and head cooks wages in Maryland vary by metro area.

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage	Avg. Annual Wage	Entry Level (10th pctile)	Experienced (90th pctile)
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria	40,090	$46,042	$46,054	$35,818	$55,863
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington	34,330	$42,757	$44,373	$31,888	$57,143
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson	10,670	$40,895	$43,310	$35,215	$54,724
Hagerstown-Martinsburg	910	$35,360	$35,899	$28,417	$45,990
Lexington Park	640	$39,815	$41,013	$34,571	$50,402
Salisbury	370	$39,120	$41,243	$31,841	$53,022

Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the job outlook for culinary professionals in Maryland? Maryland currently employs approximately 17,690 culinary professionals ¹. Nationally, culinary professional employment is projected to grow 14.9% from 2024 to 2034 ².

What training programs are available in Maryland? Options include trade schools, community colleges, and state-approved training programs. Use the school finder above to search for programs in Maryland.

How much do culinary professionals earn in Maryland compared to the national average? The median annual wage for culinary professionals in Maryland is $37,820, which is $990 above the national median of $36,830 according to BLS data ¹.

In Maryland

Best Trade Schools in Maryland (2026)

Top local programs

Explore More Trades in Maryland

Citations

About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics - Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/oes/ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎
Bureau of Labor Statistics - Employment Projections: https://www.bls.gov/emp/ ↩︎ ↩︎

Data sources

Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.

Data	Provider	Vintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	May 2025
Employment Projections	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	2024-2034
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System	National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)	2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirements	CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)	latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programs	CareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor)	latest release (updated 2025-10-25)
O*NET occupation profiles (skills, tasks, tools, job zones)	U.S. Department of Labor (O*NET / Employment & Training Admin.)	O*NET 29.1 (updated 2026-06-13)