by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 153 U.S. colleges awarded 4,439 degrees and certificates in General Cooking & Related Culinary Arts. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 40% of graduates. College Factual ranks 96 schools in its 2027 Best General Cooking & Related Culinary Arts Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $24,237 one year after completing, rising to $36,678 after four years.
Studying General Cooking & Related Culinary Arts explores Cooking And Related Culinary Arts, General. 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. Examples: [Cook].
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
In the U.S., general cooking & related culinary arts is a popular field of study, with 4,439 degrees awarded annually. 153 colleges award general cooking & related culinary arts degrees, an average of 29 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 379.
By level, the 4,439 awards include 1,548 certificates, 1,034 associate degrees, 4 bachelor’s degrees and 1,762 master’s degrees.
Women earned 57% of general cooking & related culinary arts degrees and certificates in the latest year (2,523 of 4,439). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are Hispanic or Latino (1,684) and White (1,109), and international students earned 59.
College Factual ranks 96 schools in its 2027 Best General Cooking & Related Culinary Arts Schools ranking, including 50 for associate degrees. It also ranks general cooking & related culinary arts schools within 8 states. In all, 153 colleges offer general cooking & related culinary arts programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value General Cooking & Related Culinary Arts Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common general cooking & related culinary arts credential is the master’s degree: 1,762 of the 4,439 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to general cooking & related culinary arts call most for Monitoring, Speaking and Coordination, and for knowledge of Food Production, Customer and Personal Service and English Language, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Problem Sensitivity, Oral Expression and Oral Comprehension.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a general cooking & related culinary arts degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 1,548 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 1,034 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 4 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 1,762 |
High school diploma or equivalent is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to general cooking & related culinary arts, at 44.1%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma or equivalent | 44.1% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 20.5% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 20.1% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 6.5% |
| Some college courses | 5.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 3.0% |
Source: O*NET Online.
5 occupations are related to General Cooking & Related Culinary Arts, with an average median salary of $36,214; the strongest outlook belongs to Chefs and Head Cooks, at 12.5% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Cook, Line Cook, Kitchen Supervisor and Cook Manager.
The occupation related to general cooking & related culinary arts with the most projected jobs is Cooks, Restaurant, at 1,757,049.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cooks, Restaurant | 1,757,049 | 0.9% |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | 1,329,217 | 12.5% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 863,163 | 5.6% |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | 395,624 | 0.1% |
| Cooks, All Other | 304,257 | 4.4% |
General Cooking & Related Culinary Arts 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 general cooking & related culinary arts, with a median salary of $41,438.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Cooks, Restaurant | $41,438 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $37,104 |
| Cooks, All Other | $36,782 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $35,292 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $30,453 |
General Cooking & Related Culinary Arts has 11 similar majors in the Personal & Culinary Services field, which together award 21,397 degrees a year; the largest are Culinary Arts/Chef Training (11,809), Baking and Pastry Arts/Baker/Pastry Chef (5,575) and Restaurant, Culinary, and Catering Management/Manager (1,663). Browse all Personal & Culinary Services majors or the full list of college majors.
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