by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Food Service, Waiter/Waitress, & Dining Room Management/Manager involves the study of Food Service, Waiter/waitress, And Dining Room Management/manager. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Serve Food To Customers In Formal Or Informal Settings. Includes Instruction In The Nutritional, Sensory, And Functional Properties Of Food And Its Ingredients; Food Services Principles; Table And Counter Services; Dining Room Operations And Procedures; Service Personnel Supervision And Management; Communication Skills; Business Math; Safety; And Sanitation. Continue reading for the essential details every food service, waiter/waitress, & dining room management/manager student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering food service, waiter/waitress, & dining room management/manager programs.
In the U.S., food service, waiter/waitress, & dining room management/manager is a widely-pursued major, with 75 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Food Service, Waiter/Waitress, & Dining Room Management/Manager Schools ranking analyzes these 11 schools to determine the best overall colleges for food service, waiter/waitress, & dining room management/manager students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of food service, waiter/waitress, & dining room management/manager programs later in this article.
Coursework for Food Service, Waiter/Waitress, & Dining Room Management/Manager build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations food service, waiter/waitress, & dining room management/manager graduates commonly enter.
The skill set built by a food service, waiter/waitress, & dining room management/manager program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a food service, waiter/waitress, & dining room management/manager major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several food service, waiter/waitress, & dining room management/manager 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 | 30 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 1 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 10 |
People currently working in careers related to food service, waiter/waitress, & dining room management/manager tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma or equivalent | 69.6% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 27.1% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 1.9% |
| Some college courses | 1.4% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in food service, waiter/waitress, & dining room management/manager careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Majoring in food service, waiter/waitress, & dining room management/manager opens doors to numerous career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to food service, waiter/waitress, & dining room management/manager.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to food service, waiter/waitress, & dining room management/manager.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 863,163 | 5.6% |
The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of food service, waiter/waitress, & dining room management/manager graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise 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 service, waiter/waitress, & dining room management/manager graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers food service, waiter/waitress, & dining room management/manager grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $37,104 |
With 11 different food service, waiter/waitress, & dining room management/manager programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased food service, waiter/waitress, & dining room management/manager school rankings to help you.
Those considering food service, waiter/waitress, & dining room management/manager, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Culinary Arts/Chef Training | 11,194 |
| Baking and Pastry Arts/Baker/Pastry Chef | 5,539 |
| Culinary Arts and Related Services | 4,165 |
| Restaurant, Culinary, and Catering Management/Manager | 1,343 |
| Food Preparation/Professional Cooking/Kitchen Assistant | 1,052 |
| Culinary Arts and Related Services, Other | 333 |
| Culinary Science/Culinology | 301 |
| Bartending/Bartender | 237 |
| Institutional Food Workers | 181 |
| Meat Cutting/Meat Cutter | 60 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
