by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 9 U.S. colleges awarded 129 degrees and certificates in Food Service, Waiter/Waitress, & Dining Room Management/Manager. Certificates are the most popular award, at 39% of graduates. Graduates earn a median $24,237 one year after completing, rising to $36,678 after four years.
A major in Food Service, Waiter/Waitress, & Dining Room Management/Manager involves the study of Food Service, Waiter/waitress, And Dining Room Management/manager. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Serve Food To Customers In Formal Or Informal Settings. Includes Instruction In The Nutritional, Sensory, And Functional Properties Of Food And Its Ingredients; Food Services Principles; Table And Counter Services; Dining Room Operations And Procedures; Service Personnel Supervision And Management; Communication Skills; Business Math; Safety; And Sanitation.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings. Data as of: July 2026.
In the U.S., food service, waiter/waitress, & dining room management/manager is a widely-pursued major, with 129 degrees awarded annually. 9 colleges award food service, waiter/waitress, & dining room management/manager degrees, an average of 14 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 51.
By level, the 129 awards include 50 certificates and 14 master’s degrees.
Women earned 58% of food service, waiter/waitress, & dining room management/manager degrees and certificates in the latest year (75 of 129). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (57) and Black or African American (30), and international students earned 3.
The most common food service, waiter/waitress, & dining room management/manager credential is the certificate: 50 of the 129 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to food service, waiter/waitress, & dining room management/manager call most for Management of Personnel Resources, Monitoring and Coordination, and for knowledge of Customer and Personal Service, Administration and Management and Food Production, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Comprehension, Oral Expression and Problem Sensitivity.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a food service, waiter/waitress, & dining room management/manager degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 50 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 14 |
High school diploma or equivalent is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to food service, waiter/waitress, & dining room management/manager, at 69.6%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma or equivalent | 69.6% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 27.1% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 1.9% |
| Some college courses | 1.4% |
Source: O*NET Online.
1 occupations are related to Food Service, Waiter/Waitress, & Dining Room Management/Manager, with an average median salary of $37,104; the strongest outlook belongs to First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers, at 5.6% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Motel Food Service Supervisor, Line Worker Supervisor, Food Concession Manager and Food Service Supervisor.
That occupation also has the most projected jobs of any related to food service, waiter/waitress, & dining room management/manager, at 863,163.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 863,163 | 5.6% |
Food Service, Waiter/Waitress, & Dining Room Management/Manager graduates earn a median $24,237 one year after completing their program, $36,678 after four years and $32,093 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $24,237 |
| 4 years | $36,678 |
| 5 years | $32,093 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The same occupation is also the highest-paying one related to food service, waiter/waitress, & dining room management/manager, with a median salary of $37,104.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $37,104 |
Food Service, Waiter/Waitress, & Dining Room Management/Manager has 11 similar majors in the Personal & Culinary Services field, which together award 25,707 degrees a year; the largest are Culinary Arts/Chef Training (11,809), Baking and Pastry Arts/Baker/Pastry Chef (5,575) and Culinary Arts and Related Services (4,439). Browse all Personal & Culinary Services majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Culinary Arts/Chef Training | 11,809 |
| Baking and Pastry Arts/Baker/Pastry Chef | 5,575 |
| Culinary Arts and Related Services | 4,439 |
| Restaurant, Culinary, and Catering Management/Manager | 1,663 |
| Food Preparation/Professional Cooking/Kitchen Assistant | 1,230 |
| Culinary Arts and Related Services, Other | 312 |
| Culinary Science/Culinology | 261 |
| Institutional Food Workers | 187 |
| Bartending/Bartender | 171 |
| Meat Cutting/Meat Cutter | 48 |
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