# 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.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/programs/culinary-arts-and-related-services
- CIP code: 12.05 (Culinary, Entertainment, and Personal Services)
- Colleges offering it: 461 at its most common degree level

## Outcomes by degree level (College Scorecard, 2025)

| Degree level | Colleges | Median earnings 1 yr | Median earnings 4 yrs | Median federal debt |
| --- | ---: | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| Certificate | 461 | $31,975 | $35,517 | $9,792 |
| Associate's | 412 | $34,637 | $38,846 | $12,083 |
| Bachelor's | 33 | $37,853 | $48,220 | $25,875 |
| Master's | 4 | not reported | $51,558 | not reported |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Graduate/professional certificate | 2 | not reported | not reported | not reported |

## Colleges whose graduates earn the most (Bachelor's)

Only programs with at least 10 graduates are listed.

| College | Location | Median earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: |
| [Culinary Institute of America-New York](https://www.collegesref.com/college/culinary-institute-of-america-new-york-729) | Hyde Park, NY | $61,944 | $22,875 |
| [Johnson & Wales University-Providence](https://www.collegesref.com/college/johnson-wales-university-providence-1346) | Providence, RI | $55,056 | $27,000 |
| [SUNY College of Technology at Delhi](https://www.collegesref.com/college/suny-college-of-technology-at-delhi-2651) | Delhi, NY | $51,716 | $22,199 |
| [Drexel University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/drexel-university-834) | Philadelphia, PA | $48,094 | not reported |
| [Walnut Hill College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/walnut-hill-college-3154) | Philadelphia, PA | $47,308 | $27,000 |
| [Nicholls State University-Louisiana](https://www.collegesref.com/college/nicholls-state-university-louisiana-1873) | Thibodaux, LA | $46,969 | $24,750 |

## Related careers (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk)

- [Food Scientists and Technologists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/food-scientists-and-technologists): $88,720 median pay
- [Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/wholesale-and-retail-buyers-except-farm-products): $77,710 median pay
- [Postsecondary Teachers, All Other](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/postsecondary-teachers-all-other): $77,640 median pay
- [Food Service Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/food-service-managers): $69,390 median pay
- [Chefs and Head Cooks](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/chefs-and-head-cooks): $62,470 median pay
- [Cooks, Private Household](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/cooks-private-household): $47,940 median pay
- [First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/first-line-supervisors-of-food-preparation-and-serving-workers): $44,080 median pay
- [Butchers and Meat Cutters](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/butchers-and-meat-cutters): $40,140 median pay
- [Slaughterers and Meat Packers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/slaughterers-and-meat-packers): $40,130 median pay
- [Cooks, All Other](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/cooks-all-other): $37,690 median pay
- [Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/cooks-institution-and-cafeteria): $37,450 median pay
- [Cooks, Restaurant](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/cooks-restaurant): $37,390 median pay
- [Bakers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/bakers): $37,160 median pay
- [Bartenders](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/bartenders): $34,340 median pay

## More in Culinary, Entertainment, and Personal Services

- [Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/cosmetology-and-related-personal-grooming-services): 311 colleges
- [Funeral Service and Mortuary Science](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/funeral-service-and-mortuary-science): 62 colleges
- Culinary, Entertainment, and Personal Services, Other: 4 colleges

## Sources

- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025: https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/data/
- NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020: https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/