Culinary Arts and Related Services degree: salary, jobs & colleges
Bachelor's graduates in culinary arts and related services earn a median $48,346 four years after finishing, across 11 U.S. colleges. At ages 25-34, people whose degree is in cosmetology services and culinary arts earn $44,671, $17,378 less than all bachelor's holders. The most common job is chefs and head cooks (18%).
Median across 11 colleges; middle half $42,652–$55,056.
College Scorecard field of study (graduates who received federal aid)
Middle half $27,286–$67,006. 675 survey respondents.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; field "Cosmetology Services And Culinary Arts"; EducationGuide calculation
- All bachelor's, 25-34$62,049
- High school, 25-34$35,638
- This degree vs high school+$9,033/yr
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school
Median across colleges reporting.
College Scorecard field of study
Jobs culinary arts and related services graduates hold
What employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in cosmetology services and culinary arts actually do, with U.S. wages and the outlook for each job. The first column comes from the Census survey; wages and growth from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| Job | Share of graduates | U.S. median wage | Jobs growth 2025-35 | Typical entry | Interests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chefs And Head Cooks | 18% | $62,470 | +6.6% | High school diploma or equivalent | ERC |
| Cooks | 7% | $36,640 | +6.8% | — | — |
| Food Service Managers | 5% | $69,390 | +5.8% | High school diploma or equivalent | ECR |
| Morticians, Undertakers, And Funeral Arrangers | 3% | $55,010 | +3.0% | Associate's degree | CES |
| Bakers | 3% | $37,160 | +5.5% | No formal educational credential | RC |
| Customer Service Representatives | 3% | $44,770 | -5.3% | High school diploma or equivalent | CES |
| Other Managers | 2% | — | — | — | — |
| Waiters And Waitresses | 2% | $35,230 | +2.0% | No formal educational credential | CSR |
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, bachelor's as highest degree, employed); BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35; O*NET 31.0 interest codes (R realistic, I investigative, A artistic, S social, E enterprising, C conventional).
Culinary Arts and Related Services earnings by state
Two views of pay: recent graduates of the state's colleges four years out (College Scorecard), and everyone ages 25-34 living in the state with this field of degree (Census). States show a figure only with at least 3 colleges or 100 survey respondents.
| State | Graduates, 4 yrs (colleges) | Ages 25-34 (respondents) |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $50,031 (4) | — |
College Scorecard field of study (median of each college's graduates); Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; EducationGuide calculations.
Related degrees
Culinary Arts and Related Services degree questions
How much do Culinary Arts and Related Services graduates make?
Culinary Arts and Related Services graduates earn a median $48,346 four years after finishing, across 11 U.S. colleges that report it (the middle half of colleges: $42,652 to $55,056; College Scorecard, graduates who received federal aid). Among all workers ages 25-34 whose bachelor's degree is in cosmetology services and culinary arts, the median is $44,671 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is a Culinary Arts and Related Services degree worth it?
At ages 25-34, people with a bachelor's in cosmetology services and culinary arts earn a median $44,671: $17,378 less than all bachelor's degree holders ($62,049) and $9,033 more than high school graduates ($35,638). EducationGuide calculation from Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school.
What jobs do Culinary Arts and Related Services graduates get?
Among employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in cosmetology services and culinary arts, the most common jobs are chefs and head cooks (18%), cooks (7%), food service managers (5%). Chefs And Head Cooks earn a U.S. median $62,470.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey microdata; Bureau of Labor Statistics; O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Method
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Cite this: “Culinary Arts and Related Services degree: salary, jobs and colleges,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/degrees/culinary-arts-and-related-services.