Cooks, Private Household

Pay and outlook

Median annual wage, May 2025

$47,940

Half earn more, half earn less

Middle half earn

$40,630 – $55,450

25th to 75th percentile

People employed, May 2025

1,100

Wage and salary jobs (OEWS)

Projected change, 2025–35

+5.1%

At or above the all-jobs rate (3.5% to under 7%)

Openings a year (projected)

5,000

New jobs plus replacing people who leave

Typical education to enter

Postsecondary nondegree award

BLS

• All figures are for the United States as a whole. Pay varies a lot by state and city.
• Wages are for everyone working in the occupation in May 2025, at every career stage. They are not starting salaries or figures for new graduates.
• Growth and openings are BLS projections for 2025–35. They are estimates, not promises. Openings include jobs that open up when people retire or change occupation, not just new jobs.

What the work involves

Prepare meals in private homes. Includes personal chefs.

Main 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.

Description and tasks from the O*NET® 31.0 Database.

Getting in

Typical education to enter (BLS)

Postsecondary nondegree award

Work experience in a related job: less than 5 years

O*NET Job Zone 3

Medium preparation

Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.

Fields of study that lead here

From the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk, which links 3 programmes to this occupation. A link means the programme prepares people for this kind of work. It doesn't mean the programme is required, or that it's the only route.

Related careers

Related occupations from the O*NET database, in its order.

• Cooks, Restaurant

  $37,390 median · +12.1% projected

• Chefs and Head Cooks

  $62,470 median · +6.6% projected

• Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria

  $37,450 median · +2.8% projected

• Bakers

  $37,160 median · +5.5% projected

• Food Service Managers

  $69,390 median · +5.8% projected

• Butchers and Meat Cutters

  $40,140 median · +2.4% projected