by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 8 U.S. colleges awarded 261 degrees and certificates in Culinary Science/Culinology. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 62% of graduates. College Factual ranks 3 schools in its 2027 Best Culinary Science/Culinology 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.
A degree in Culinary Science/Culinology covers Culinary Science/culinology. A Program That Focuses On The Blending Of Food Science And The Culinary Arts And That Prepares Individuals To Work As Research Chefs And Related Research And Development Positions In The Food Industry. Includes Instruction In Culinary Arts, Food Chemistry, Food Safety And Quality, Food Processing, Nutrition, And Business Management.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Nationwide, culinary science/culinology draws strong interest, with 261 degrees awarded annually. 8 colleges award culinary science/culinology degrees, an average of 33 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 162.
By level, the 261 awards include 2 certificates, 97 bachelor’s degrees and 162 master’s degrees.
Women earned 54% of culinary science/culinology degrees and certificates in the latest year (141 of 261). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (154) and Black or African American (34), and international students earned 12.
College Factual ranks 3 schools in its 2027 Best Culinary Science/Culinology Schools ranking, including 2 for bachelor’s degrees. It also ranks culinary science/culinology schools within 2 states. In all, 8 colleges offer culinary science/culinology programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Culinary Science/Culinology Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common culinary science/culinology credential is the master’s degree: 162 of the 261 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to culinary science/culinology call most for Coordination, Monitoring and Speaking, and for knowledge of Food Production, Customer and Personal Service and Production and Processing, 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 culinary science/culinology degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 2 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 97 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 162 |
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to culinary science/culinology, at 43.7%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 43.7% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 17.4% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 15.8% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 12.2% |
| Some college courses | 7.1% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 3.7% |
| Master’s degree | 0.2% |
Source: O*NET Online.
5 occupations are related to Culinary Science/Culinology, with an average median salary of $72,551; the strongest outlook belongs to Chefs and Head Cooks, at 12.5% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Cook Manager, Kitchen Manager, Menu Planner and Chef Manager.
That occupation also has the most projected jobs of any related to culinary science/culinology, at 1,329,217.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Chefs and Head Cooks | 1,329,217 | 12.5% |
| Postsecondary Teachers, All Other | 964,215 | -0.1% |
| Food Service Managers | 397,799 | 7.7% |
| Cooks, All Other | 304,257 | 4.4% |
| Food Scientists and Technologists | 76,219 | -4.2% |
Culinary Science/Culinology 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 highest-paying occupation related to culinary science/culinology is Food Service Managers, with a median salary of $165,782.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Food Service Managers | $165,782 |
| Postsecondary Teachers, All Other | $68,967 |
| Food Scientists and Technologists | $55,930 |
| Cooks, All Other | $36,782 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $35,292 |
Culinary Science/Culinology has 11 similar majors in the Personal & Culinary Services field, which together award 25,575 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.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
