Chefs
Occupation (5111) - 2026-Q1
- 335k, Workforce
- $8.82k MX, Average monthly salary
- 39.5, Average age
- 44.4, Weekly hours worked
- 5.28, Weekly days worked
- 4.49%, Workforce with second job
- 39.7%, Informal Workforce
- 10.4, Average years of Schooling
About Chefs
#permalink to sectionThe workforce of Chefs during first quarter of 2026 was 335k people, whose salary averaged $8.82k MX working around 44.4 hours per week.
The average age of Chefs was 39.5 years. The workforce was distributed in 41.7% men with an average salary of $10.7k MX and, 58.3% women with average salary of $7.51k MX.
The best average salaries received by Chefs were in Oaxaca ($13.5k MX), Nuevo León ($13k MX), and Michoacán de Ocampo ($12.5k MX) while the workforce was larger in Estado de México (31.2k), Quintana Roo (23.2k), and Jalisco (23k).
In terms of industries, the best average salaries were in Dental Offices ($24k MX), Medical Doctors Offices ($16.8k MX), and Residential Facilities with Nursing Care for Convalescent, in Rehabilitation, Incurable and Terminal Patients ($13.7k MX), while the workforce was concentrated on Psychiatric and Addiction Hospitals (20k), Higher Technical Education Schools (17.6k), and Retail Trade of Groceries and Food (11.5k).
67.1% of the total informal workers correspond to women with an average salary of $6.78k MX and 32.9% to men with an average salary of $8.82k MX.
At the level of states, Oaxaca had the highest percentage of informal workers with 80.8% corresponding to 5.91k from 7.31k workers, while the state with the lowest percentage of informal workers was Quintana Roo with a 3.1% corresponding to 719 from 23.2k workers.
Employment
#permalink to sectionWorkforce and Salaries Evolution
#permalink to section- 335k, Workforce 2026-Q1
- $8.82k MX, Average monthly salary 2026-Q1
At first quarter of 2026, the people who worked as Chefs were 335k being a 7.82% higher than the fourth quarter of 2025. (311k).
In the same period, an average salary of $8.82k MX was observed, registering an increase of 20.7%, compared to the fourth quarter of 2025 ($7.31k MX).
Workforce by State
#permalink to sectionThe states with the highest number of Chefs during the first quarter of 2026 were Estado de México (31.2k), Quintana Roo (23.2k), and Jalisco (23k)
Comparing the first quarter of 2021 and the first quarter of 2026, the main positive variations occurred in Hidalgo and Guanajuato with an increase of 7.91k (151%) and 5.53k (74.9%), respectively. On the other hand, the negative variations were accentuated in Ciudad de México and Jalisco with a decrease of 8.35k (29.8%) and 4.79k (17.2%), respectively.
Salaries by State
#permalink to sectionThe states with the best average salaries for Chefs during first quarter of 2026 were Oaxaca ($13.5k MX), Nuevo León ($13k MX), and Michoacán de Ocampo ($12.5k MX)
Comparing the first quarter of 2021 and the first quarter of 2026, the positive salary growth was higher in Oaxaca and Michoacán de Ocampo with an increase of $8.64k MX (176%) and $5.08k MX (68.6%), respectively. Por otro lado, las variaciones salariales negativas se acentuaron en Baja California Sur and Colima with a decrease of $3.14k MX (22.4%) and $2.34k MX (29.2%), respectively.
Diversity
#permalink to sectionAverage Salary and Workforce by Sex and Age
#permalink to sectionAverage Age 2026-Q1
- 42.5, Women
- 35.2, Men
At first quarter of 2026, the male workforce in Chefs represented the 41.7% of the employed population and women 58.3%. The male workforce was higher in the age group of 25 to 34 years (47.4k), while the female workforce was higher in the age group of 45 to 54 years (57.4k).
The highest average salary was $12.8k MX received by men from 35 to 44 years, while the lowest average salary was $6.96k MX received by women from 45 to 54 years.
* The data regarding salaries have low statistical precision so it should not be used as conclusions.
Average Salary and Workforce by Gender and Schooling Years
#permalink to sectionAverage Schooling in Years (2026-Q1)
- 9.79, Women
- 11.3, Men
At first quarter of 2026 the male workforce in Chefs was higher in the educational segment with 10 to 12 years of schooling (54.4k), while the female workforce was higher in the educational segment with 7 to 9 years of schooling (85.4k).
The highest average salary was $15.3k MX received by men with 13 to 15 years of schooling, while the lowest average salary was $6.94k MX received by women with 4 to 6 years of schooling.
* The data regarding salaries have low statistical precision so it should not be used as conclusions.
Industries
#permalink to sectionWorkforce and Salaries Distribution by Industries
#permalink to sectionThe visualization shows the distribution of Chefs in different industries and economic sectors.
At first quarter of 2026, the workforce was higher in Psychiatric and Addiction Hospitals (19.3%), Higher Technical Education Schools (17.1%), and Retail Trade of Groceries and Food (11.2%).
In the same period, the best average salaries were received in Dental Offices ($24k MX), Medical Doctors Offices ($16.8k MX), and Residential Facilities with Nursing Care for Convalescent, in Rehabilitation, Incurable and Terminal Patients ($13.7k MX).
Labor Informality
#permalink to sectionLabor Informality
#permalink to sectionLabor Informality 2026-Q1
- 39.7%, Chefs
- 54.8%, Average Informality in Mexico
During the first quarter of 2026, the labor informality of Chefs reached a 39.7%, which implied a decrease from 1.39 percentage points compared to the fourth quarter of 2025 (41.1%).
The labor informality of this occupation was lower than informality at the country level in 15.1 percentage points during the first quarter of 2026.
Labor Informality by State
#permalink to sectionGreater Labor Informality: 80.8%, Oaxaca
Less Labor Informality: 3.1 %, Quintana Roo
At first quarter of 2026, the states with the highest rate of labor informality in Chefs were Oaxaca (80.8%), Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave (79.6%), and Tlaxcala (66.9%).
The states with the lowest informality rate were Baja California Sur (15.3%), Chiapas (7.44%), and Quintana Roo (3.1%).
Labor Informality by Age and Education
#permalink to sectionThe workforce of Chefs during the first quarter of 2026 was higher in the age group with 25 to 34 years concentrating 85.2k workers of which 60.8% corresponds to formal employment (51.8k) and 39.2% to informal employment (33.4k).
Regarding the schooling years, the workforce was higher in the range with 7 to 9 years of schooling concentrating 119k workers of which 55.1% corresponds to formal employment (65.7k) and 44.9% corresponds to informal employment (53.6k).