by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 13 U.S. colleges awarded 187 degrees and certificates in Institutional Food Workers. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 64% of graduates. College Factual ranks 6 schools in its 2027 Best Institutional Food Workers 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 major in Institutional Food Workers explores Institutional Food Workers. A Program That Prepares Individuals In Production And Service Used In Governmental, Commercial Or Independently Owned Institutional Food Establishments And Related Food Industry Occupations. Includes Instruction In Selecting, Storing, Preparing, And Serving Food And Food Products; Basic Nutrition; Sanitation, And Food Safety; The Use And Care Of Commercial Equipment; Serving Techniques; And The Operation Of Institutional Food Establishments.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
In the U.S., institutional food workers is a popular field of study, with 187 degrees awarded annually. 13 colleges award institutional food workers degrees, an average of 14 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 37.
By level, the 187 awards include 21 certificates, 25 associate degrees and 119 master’s degrees.
Women earned 51% of institutional food workers degrees and certificates in the latest year (95 of 187). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (92) and Black or African American (46).
College Factual ranks 6 schools in its 2027 Best Institutional Food Workers Schools ranking, including 3 for associate degrees. In all, 13 colleges offer institutional food workers programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Institutional Food Workers Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common institutional food workers credential is the master’s degree: 119 of the 187 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to institutional food workers call most for Speaking, Judgment and Decision Making and Service Orientation, and for knowledge of English Language, Food Production and Customer and Personal Service, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Near Vision, Oral Expression and Speech Clarity.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long an institutional food workers degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 21 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 25 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 119 |
High school diploma or equivalent is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to institutional food workers, at 71.1%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma or equivalent | 71.1% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 14.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 6.8% |
| Some college courses | 5.8% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 1.9% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 0.1% |
Source: O*NET Online.
1 occupations are related to Institutional Food Workers, with an average median salary of $30,453; the strongest outlook belongs to Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria, at 0.1% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Sous Chef, Food Service Specialist, Dietary Cook and Food Service Worker.
That occupation also has the most projected jobs of any related to institutional food workers, at 395,624.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | 395,624 | 0.1% |
Institutional Food Workers 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 institutional food workers, with a median salary of $30,453.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $30,453 |
Institutional Food Workers has 11 similar majors in the Personal & Culinary Services field, which together award 25,649 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.
