by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 56 U.S. colleges awarded 1,230 degrees and certificates in Food Preparation/Professional Cooking/Kitchen Assistant. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 64% of graduates. Graduates earn a median $24,237 one year after completing, rising to $36,678 after four years.
A major in Food Preparation/Professional Cooking/Kitchen Assistant covers Food Preparation/professional Cooking/kitchen Assistant. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Serve Under The Supervision Of Chefs And Other Food Service Professionals As Kitchen Support Staff And Commercial Food Preparation Workers. Includes Instruction In Kitchen Organization And Operations, Sanitation And Quality Control, Basic Food Preparation And Cooking Skills, Kitchen And Kitchen Equipment Maintenance, And Quantity Food Measurement And Monitoring.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings. Data as of: July 2026.
In the U.S., food preparation/professional cooking/kitchen assistant is a widely-pursued major, with 1,230 degrees awarded annually. 56 colleges award food preparation/professional cooking/kitchen assistant degrees, an average of 22 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 182.
By level, the 1,230 awards include 301 certificates, 86 associate degrees and 787 master’s degrees.
Women earned 60% of food preparation/professional cooking/kitchen assistant degrees and certificates in the latest year (739 of 1,230). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (485) and Black or African American (392), and international students earned 4.
The most common food preparation/professional cooking/kitchen assistant credential is the master’s degree: 787 of the 1,230 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to food preparation/professional cooking/kitchen assistant call most for Critical Thinking, Service Orientation and Monitoring, and for knowledge of Customer and Personal Service, Food Production and Sales and Marketing, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Near Vision, Problem Sensitivity and Oral Expression.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a food preparation/professional cooking/kitchen assistant degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 301 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 86 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 787 |
High school diploma or equivalent is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to food preparation/professional cooking/kitchen assistant, at 38.1%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma or equivalent | 38.1% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 34.1% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 12.9% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 9.5% |
| Some college courses | 4.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 1.2% |
Source: O*NET Online.
3 occupations are related to Food Preparation/Professional Cooking/Kitchen Assistant, with an average median salary of $34,146; the strongest outlook belongs to Cooks, Private Household, at 13.9% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Dinner Cook, Culinary Specialist, Cook and Personal Chef.
That occupation also has the most projected jobs of any related to food preparation/professional cooking/kitchen assistant, at 2,026,560.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cooks, Private Household | 2,026,560 | 13.9% |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | 395,624 | 0.1% |
| Cooks, All Other | 304,257 | 4.4% |
Food Preparation/Professional Cooking/Kitchen Assistant 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 food preparation/professional cooking/kitchen assistant is Cooks, All Other, with a median salary of $36,782.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Cooks, All Other | $36,782 |
| Cooks, Private Household | $35,204 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $30,453 |
Food Preparation/Professional Cooking/Kitchen Assistant has 11 similar majors in the Personal & Culinary Services field, which together award 24,606 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.