by our College Data Analytics TeamA 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. Continue reading for the essential details every food preparation/professional cooking/kitchen assistant student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering food preparation/professional cooking/kitchen assistant programs.
In the U.S., food preparation/professional cooking/kitchen assistant is a widely-pursued major, with 1,052 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Food Preparation/Professional Cooking/Kitchen Assistant Schools ranking analyzes these 56 schools to determine the best overall colleges for food preparation/professional cooking/kitchen assistant students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of food preparation/professional cooking/kitchen assistant programs later in this article.
Coursework for Food Preparation/Professional Cooking/Kitchen Assistant emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations food preparation/professional cooking/kitchen assistant graduates commonly enter.
The skill set built by a food preparation/professional cooking/kitchen assistant program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Based on O*NET data, a food preparation/professional cooking/kitchen assistant major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several food preparation/professional cooking/kitchen assistant degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 278 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 45 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 709 |
People currently working in careers related to food preparation/professional cooking/kitchen assistant tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| 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% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in food preparation/professional cooking/kitchen assistant careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
A degree in food preparation/professional cooking/kitchen assistant opens doors to numerous career paths. Below are some of the most common occupations related to food preparation/professional cooking/kitchen assistant.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to food preparation/professional cooking/kitchen assistant.
| 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% |
The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of food preparation/professional cooking/kitchen assistant graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $24,617 |
| 4 years | $29,033 |
| 5 years | $32,264 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for food preparation/professional cooking/kitchen assistant graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers food preparation/professional cooking/kitchen assistant grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Cooks, All Other | $36,782 |
| Cooks, Private Household | $35,204 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $30,453 |
With 56 different food preparation/professional cooking/kitchen assistant programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased food preparation/professional cooking/kitchen assistant school rankings to help you.
Those considering food preparation/professional cooking/kitchen assistant, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
