Food Preparation/Professional Cooking/Kitchen Assistant
CIP Code: 12.0505A food preparation/professional cooking/kitchen assistant degree prepares graduates for careers in Cooks, private household, Cooks, institution and cafeteria, Cooks, all other. 56 colleges and universities offer this program.
Food Preparation/Professional Cooking/Kitchen Assistant Salary by College
Nationally, bachelor’s graduates in this field earn a median $47,668 four years after graduating (middle half: $32,862–$61,660). Where you study it matters: across 12 colleges with reported results, pay ranges from $38,735 to $61,944.
Sort by:
| # | College | 4 yrs after | Wage-adjusted | 1 yr after | Median debt | Outcome Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Culinary Institute of America Hyde Park, NY | $61,944 | $58,958 | $43,808 | $26,750 | B+ |
| 3 | Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte Charlotte, NC | $55,056 | $59,083 | $32,775 | $27,000 | B |
| 2 | Johnson & Wales University-Providence Providence, RI | $55,056 | $54,225 | $32,775 | $27,000 | F |
| 4 | Southern New Hampshire University Manchester, NH | $52,058 | $47,951 | $35,959 | $23,500 | C |
| 5 | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi Delhi, NY | $51,716 | $49,223 | $20,213 | — | B+ |
| 6 | SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill Cobleskill, NY | $48,346 | $46,015 | $27,738 | — | F |
| 7 | Drexel University Philadelphia, PA | $48,094 | $48,912 | — | — | A+ |
| 8 | Walnut Hill College Philadelphia, PA | $47,308 | $48,113 | $27,593 | $27,000 | F |
| 9 | Nicholls State University Thibodaux, LA | $46,969 | $54,370 | $23,038 | $25,000 | C |
| 10 | Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science Paul Smiths, NY | $42,652 | $40,596 | $31,506 | $27,000 | F |
| 11 | Mississippi University for Women Columbus, MS | $42,043 | $51,011 | $20,026 | $25,500 | C |
| 12 | University of North Alabama Florence, AL | $38,735 | $43,968 | $33,884 | — | C |
Bachelor’s degrees. Wage-adjusted = pay ÷ √(state wage index). Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data.
What Can You Do With a Food Preparation/Professional Cooking/Kitchen Assistant Degree?
Graduates with this degree pursue careers in the following fields:
Best Colleges for Food Preparation/Professional Cooking/Kitchen Assistant
Ranked by Repit grade, then by degrees awarded. These are the top-rated colleges that produce the most graduates in food preparation/professional cooking/kitchen assistant.
| # | College | Location | Degrees Awarded | Repit Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Central Georgia Technical College | Warner Robins, GA | 118 | C+ |
| 2 | Kansas City Kansas Community College | Kansas City, KS | 70 | C+ |
| 3 | Elgin Community College | Elgin, IL | 45 | C+ |
| 4 | Wiregrass Georgia Technical College | Valdosta, GA | 36 | C+ |
| 5 | Sinclair Community College | Dayton, OH | 35 | C+ |
| 6 | Southern Crescent Technical College | Griffin, GA | 33 | C+ |
| 7 | South Georgia Technical College | Americus, GA | 25 | C+ |
| 8 | Savannah Technical College | Savannah, GA | 36 | C |
| 9 | Joliet Junior College | Joliet, IL | 34 | C |
| 10 | West Georgia Technical College | Waco, GA | 34 | C |
| 11 | Grayson College | Denison, TX | 31 | C |
| 12 | Atlanta Technical College | Atlanta, GA | 31 | C |
| 13 | Iowa Western Community College | Council Bluffs, IA | 30 | C |
| 14 | ECPI University | Virginia Beach, VA | 30 | C |
| 15 | Gwinnett Technical College | Lawrenceville, GA | 29 | C |
| 16 | Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder | Boulder, CO | 109 | D |
Largest Food Preparation/Professional Cooking/Kitchen Assistant Programs
Schools ranked by number of graduates. These institutions produce the most food preparation/professional cooking/kitchen assistant graduates annually, including online and distance learning programs.
| # | College | Location | Degrees Awarded | Repit Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Central Georgia Technical College | Warner Robins, GA | 118 | C+ |
| 2 | Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder | Boulder, CO | 109 | D |
| 3 | Kansas City Kansas Community College | Kansas City, KS | 70 | C+ |
| 4 | Elgin Community College | Elgin, IL | 45 | C+ |
| 5 | Wiregrass Georgia Technical College | Valdosta, GA | 36 | C+ |
| 6 | Savannah Technical College | Savannah, GA | 36 | C |
| 7 | Sinclair Community College | Dayton, OH | 35 | C+ |
| 8 | Joliet Junior College | Joliet, IL | 34 | C |
| 9 | West Georgia Technical College | Waco, GA | 34 | C |
| 10 | Southern Crescent Technical College | Griffin, GA | 33 | C+ |
| 11 | Grayson College | Denison, TX | 31 | C |
| 12 | Atlanta Technical College | Atlanta, GA | 31 | C |
| 13 | Iowa Western Community College | Council Bluffs, IA | 30 | C |
| 14 | ECPI University | Virginia Beach, VA | 30 | C |
| 15 | Gwinnett Technical College | Lawrenceville, GA | 29 | C |
| 16 | South Georgia Technical College | Americus, GA | 25 | C+ |
About Food Preparation/Professional Cooking/Kitchen Assistant
Food Preparation/Professional Cooking/Kitchen Assistant is a degree program offered at 56 colleges and universities across the United States. Each year, approximately 1,052 students graduate with this degree.
Graduates with this degree can pursue careers such as cooks, private household, cooks, institution and cafeteria, cooks, all other.