Cook Education Requirements And Courses

Q: What degree do you need to be a cook?

You do not need a degree to work as a cook. The majority of people working in the culinary field do not have a college degree. Nearly half of the employed cooks have only a high school diploma. Approximately 20% have an associate's degree, and a few pursue a four-year degree. There is virtually no difference between the salaries of cooks who have not completed high school and those who have a four-year degree.

Cook education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Usually, cooks don't need a college education. The most common degree for cooks is high school diploma with 45% graduates, with only 20% cook graduates earning associate degree. Cooks who decided to graduate from college often finish Johnson & Wales University or University of Phoenix. Some good skills to have in this position include food handling, food service and cleanliness.

Popular cook certifications include OSHA Safety Certificate , Certified Food Manager (CFM), or Food Safety Manager Certification. To improve cook qualification and skills, we prepared some online courses to help in cook education paths.

What education do you need to become a cook?

What degree do you need to be a cook?

The most common degree for cooks is high school diploma, with 45% of cooks earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 20% and associate degree degree at 16%.

High School Diploma, 45%

Associate, 20%

Bachelor's, 16%

Diploma, 13%

Other Degrees, 6%

What should I major in to become a cook?

You should major in culinary arts to become a cook. 25% of cooks major in culinary arts. Other common majors for a cook include business and general studies.

Culinary Arts, 25%

Business, 16%

General Studies, 10%

Criminal Justice, 6%

Other Majors, 43%

Best majors for cooks

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Culinary Arts	25.5%
2	Business	16.4%
3	General Studies	9.8%
4	Criminal Justice	6.1%
5	Psychology	3.6%

Show more common cook majors

20 best online courses for cooks

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The Highfield Food Safety Level 3 syllabus presented in two hours of video tutorials. Boost your food safety knowledge...

4. Cook Real Food: How to Make Simple Plant-Based Meals

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Learn how to cook whole plant foods to make quick, easy, and healthy vegan meals for practical everyday eating...

5. OSHA Safety Pro: Personal Protective Equipment

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Impress management or get that job with you your ability to display life and dollar saving work place safety practices...

6. SAP Customer Service (CS/SM) - Service Management module

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Real World SAP CS and SD, Repair Orders, Service Orders, Service Contracts...

7. Customer Service & Support For Customer Service Executives

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Learn Customer Service Skills & Provide Excellent Customer Support, Customer Experience & How To Manage Upset Customers...

8. Customer Service, Customer Support, And Customer Experience

4.6

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Customer service, customer support, and customer experience training. Loyal clients through world-class customer service...

9. Get to Know Your Food: Claims, Labels & Ingredients

4.4

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Learn how to make the healthiest and best food choices amidst processed and packaged foods...

10. ISO 22000 (HACCP and PRPs) for Food Safety

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Standards, analysis, control points, and risk management related to ISO 22000 for food industry professionals...

11. Customer Service: 6 Keys To Exceptional Customer Service

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13. Customer Service Mastery: Delight Every Customer

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Master Customer Service using this practical customer care course...

14. Food Photography: Capturing Food in Your Kitchen

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15. OSHA Workplace Safety (General Industry 6 Hr Class)

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Learn the requirements and standards associated with OSHA and workplace safety. Safety best practices for the workplace...

16. Occupational Health & Safety Training

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Workplace Health and Safety Course For Employees & Managers...

17. Basic Food Photography

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Learn how to take delicious food photos from scratch...

18. Fundamentals of Logistics, Supply Chain & Customer Service

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Learn Logistics, Supply Chain and Customer Service. 3 Courses in 1...

19. OSHA Safety Training: Conducting Safety Meetings

4.5

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A Brief Safety Management Course for Current and Aspiring Safety Professionals...

20. Customer Service

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How to Approach New Customers and Maintain Existing Ones...

Average cook salary by education level

Cooks with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $33,858 annually. With a Associate degree, cooks earn a median annual income of $33,092 compared to $32,379 for cooks with an High School Diploma degree.

Cook education level	Cook salary
High School Diploma or Less	$32,379
Bachelor's Degree	$33,858
No Education	$32,010
Some College/ Associate Degree	$33,092

Cook education requirements

What education do you need to become a cook?

What degree do you need to be a cook?

What should I major in to become a cook?

Best majors for cooks

20 best online courses for cooks

Average cook salary by education level

Cook education FAQs

What degree do you need to be a cook?

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