How to Become a Culinary Professional in New Hampshire (2026)

Q: How much do culinary professionals earn in New Hampshire?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), culinary professionals in New Hampshire earned a median annual wage of approximately $40,200. Employment concentration in New Hampshire is about 1.16 times the national average for this occupation.

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

New Hampshire currently employs approximately 7,190 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

New Hampshire chefs and head cooks earn a median annual wage of $63,400 ($30.48/hr) according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), with about 1,170 workers employed statewide. The state median is approximately 1.5% above the national median of $62,470 for the same occupation.

Key Takeaways

Median annual pay: $63,400 ($30.48/hr)
25th percentile: $52,510 per year
75th percentile: $76,300 per year
Top 10% earn: more than $95,990 per year
Entry-level (bottom 10%): under $40,220 per year
Workers employed in New Hampshire: 1,170
Versus national median: 1.5% above the U.S. median of $62,470
Job concentration: Location quotient 1.33 - this occupation is more concentrated in New Hampshire than the national average

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Last reviewed June 8, 2026.

New Hampshire employs about 7,190 culinary professionals earning a median $40,200 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Most culinary professionals train through an approved program before entering the field in New Hampshire.

Compare Culinary Professional Schools in New Hampshire

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	Quinsigamond Community College	58.1	$6,262 in-state / $11,206 out-of-state	$55,076	22%	Yes*	62 mi
2	York County Community College	56.0	$4,156 in-state / $7,036 out-of-state	$46,153	34%	Yes*	59 mi
Sponsored Ad
3	Bunker Hill Community College	55.2	$6,168 in-state / $11,112 out-of-state	$56,376	13%	Yes*	67 mi
4	Southeastern Technical Institute	54.0	Contact school for pricing	$48,037	74%	—	90 mi
Sponsored Ad
5	Massasoit Community College	53.9	$5,376 in-state / $10,320 out-of-state	$54,288	19%	Yes*	87 mi
6	Lakes Region Community College	52.5	$6,720 in-state / $14,970 out-of-state	$49,311	46%	—	25 mi
Sponsored Ad
7	Northern Essex Community College	52.4	$6,732 in-state / $12,516 out-of-state	$52,743	21%	Yes*	46 mi
8	Nashua Community College	49.0	$7,140 in-state / $15,390 out-of-state	$54,792	38%	Yes*	31 mi
Sponsored Ad
9	North Shore Community College	46.7	$5,352 in-state / $10,920 out-of-state	$54,714	18%	—	58 mi
10	Southern Maine Community College	46.5	$4,156 in-state / $7,036 out-of-state	$53,543	28%	Yes*	82 mi
Sponsored Ad

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.

New Hampshire employs approximately 7,190 culinary professionals according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $40,200 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 New Hampshire, 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 (New Hampshire): $40,200 per year ¹

Quick Answers About How to Become a Culinary Professional in New Hampshire

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

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

What do culinary professionals earn in New Hampshire? The median annual wage for culinary professionals in New Hampshire is $40,200 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $34,390 and experienced professionals can earn $49,400 or more ¹.

How to Become a Culinary Professional in New Hampshire

Finish high school or earn a GED. Most New Hampshire training programs require a high school diploma or GED to enroll.
Complete an approved training program. Enroll in an approved culinary professional program in New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire

Chefs and Head Cooks Wages by Metro Area in New Hampshire

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

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage	Avg. Annual Wage	Entry Level (10th pctile)	Experienced (90th pctile)
Boston-Cambridge-Newton	31,710	$48,549	$49,465	$38,337	$63,129
Manchester-Nashua	2,470	$42,355	$43,820	$33,392	$54,728

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 New Hampshire? New Hampshire currently employs approximately 7,190 culinary professionals ¹. Nationally, culinary professional employment is projected to grow 14.9% from 2024 to 2034 ².

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

How much do culinary professionals earn in New Hampshire compared to the national average? The median annual wage for culinary professionals in New Hampshire is $40,200, which is $3,370 above the national median of $36,830 according to BLS data ¹.

In New Hampshire

Best Trade Schools in New Hampshire (2026)

Top local programs

Explore More Trades in New Hampshire

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)