ProgramsCulinary, Entertainment, and Personal Services

    Culinary Arts and Related Services

    CIP12.05

    461 colleges offer Culinary Arts and Related Services. See what it covers, which degree levels are available and what graduates earn and borrow.

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Colleges offering it
    461
    at its most common level
    Bachelor's earnings
    $48,220
    median, 4 years after
    Bachelor's debt
    $25,875
    median federal loans
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    Colleges offering it, by degree level

    Certificate
    461
    Associate's
    412
    Bachelor's
    33
    Master's
    4
    Post-baccalaureate certificate
    1
    Graduate/professional certificate
    2
    Published colleges reporting the program. College Scorecard field of study, 2025.

    What it covers

    About Culinary Arts and Related Services

    A program that focuses on the general study of the cooking and related culinary arts, and that may prepare individuals for a variety of jobs within the food service industry. Includes instruction in food preparation, cooking techniques, equipment operation and maintenance, sanitation and safety, communication skills, applicable regulations, and principles of food service management.

    Definition: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs 2020, code 12.05.

    Programs in this field

    Colleges report these specific programs under CIP 12.05.

    • Cooking and Related Culinary Arts, General
    • Baking and Pastry Arts/Baker/Pastry Chef
    • Bartending/Bartender
    • Culinary Arts/Chef Training
    • Restaurant, Culinary, and Catering Management/Manager
    • Food Preparation/Professional Cooking/Kitchen Assistant
    • Meat Cutting/Meat Cutter
    • Food Service, Waiter/Waitress, and Dining Room Management/Manager
    • Institutional Food Workers
    • Culinary Science/Culinology
    • Wine Steward/Sommelier
    • Reserved

    By degree level

    Earnings and debt by degree level

    Medians across colleges of each college's own program median. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working.

    Colleges offering Culinary Arts and Related Services and median graduate earnings and debt at each degree level
    Degree levelCollegesMedian earningsMedian debt
    Certificate461$35,5174 yrs after · 44 colleges$9,79220 colleges
    Associate's412$38,8464 yrs after · 87 colleges$12,08325 colleges
    Bachelor's33$48,2204 yrs after · 12 colleges$25,8756 colleges
    Master's4$51,5584 yrs after · 1 collegeNot reported
    Post-baccalaureate certificate1Not reportedNot reported
    Graduate/professional certificate2Not reportedNot reported

    Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Colleges with too few graduates have their earnings and debt suppressed, so the number of colleges reporting is smaller than the number offering the program.

    Bachelor's programs

    Where Culinary Arts and Related Services graduates earn the most

    Median earnings four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates in the latest year. Earnings are one measure; cost and graduation rate matter too.

    1. 1Culinary Institute of America-New York logo

      Culinary Institute of America-New York

      Hyde Park, NY · Private nonprofit · 94 graduates

      $61,944

      debt $22,875

    2. 2Johnson & Wales University-Providence logo

      Johnson & Wales University-Providence

      Providence, RI · Private nonprofit · 154 graduates

      $55,056

      debt $27,000

    3. 3

      SUNY College of Technology at Delhi

      Delhi, NY · Public · 12 graduates

      $51,716

      debt $22,199

    4. 4

      Drexel University

      Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofit · 10 graduates

      $48,094

      debt not reported

    5. 5Walnut Hill College logo

      Walnut Hill College

      Philadelphia, PA · — · 14 graduates

      $47,308

      debt $27,000

    6. 6Nicholls State University-Louisiana logo

      Nicholls State University-Louisiana

      Thibodaux, LA · Public · 30 graduates

      $46,969

      debt $24,750

    Careers

    Careers this program leads to

    Occupations linked to Culinary Arts and Related Services by the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, highest national median pay first. Pay and outlook are BLS figures for each occupation.

    All 14 in the career explorer

    Other programs in the same area of study, by how many colleges offer them.

    Every program in this area

    Questions about Culinary Arts and Related Services

    How many colleges offer Culinary Arts and Related Services?

    Published colleges on CollegesRef report Culinary Arts and Related Services at these degree levels: certificate (461 colleges), associate's (412 colleges), bachelor's (33 colleges), master's (4 colleges), post-baccalaureate certificate (1 college), graduate/professional certificate (2 colleges). Counts are from College Scorecard field-of-study data (2025).

    What do Culinary Arts and Related Services graduates earn?

    At the median college, bachelor's graduates in Culinary Arts and Related Services earn $48,220 a year four years after finishing, across 12 colleges that report earnings. Figures cover graduates who received federal aid.

    Where do Culinary Arts and Related Services graduates earn the most?

    Culinary Institute of America-New York reports the highest median earnings for bachelor's graduates in Culinary Arts and Related Services: $61,944 four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates.