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Food editor education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a food editor. Food editors usually study journalism, culinary arts, or communication. 78% of food editors hold a bachelor's degree, and 11% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 183 real food editor resumes to see exactly what food editor education sections show.

The most common colleges for food editors are the University of Northern Colorado and the University of Northern Colorado.

There are also many online food editor courses to help get the education required to be a food editor.

What education do you need to become a food editor?

What degree do you need to be a food editor?

The most common degree for food editors is bachelor's degree, with 78% of food editors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 11% and master's degree degree at 7%.
  • Bachelor's, 78%
  • Master's, 11%
  • Associate, 7%
  • High School Diploma, 3%
  • Other Degrees, 1%

What should I major in to become a food editor?

You should major in journalism to become a food editor. 23% of food editors major in journalism. Other common majors for a food editor include culinary arts and communication.

Most common colleges for food editors

Food editors often get their degrees at University of Northern Colorado, Ithaca College, and Johnson & Wales University. Here are the most common colleges for food editors in the US based on their resumes.
Food editor common collegePercentages
University of Northern Colorado6.98%
Ithaca College6.98%
Johnson & Wales University6.98%
Culinary Institute of America6.98%
University of California - Davis6.98%

Best majors for food editors

RankMajorPercentages
1Journalism23.1%
2Culinary Arts11.1%
3Communication8.5%
4Food And Nutrition8.5%
5English8.5%

Best colleges for food editors

The best colleges for food editors are Northwestern University, Washington University in St Louis, and Harvard University.

A food editor with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for food editors. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become food editors.

1. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

2. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

3. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

4. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

5. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,832

Enrollment

4,550

6. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

7. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

In-state tuition

$53,399

Enrollment

7,356

8. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

9. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

10. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

20 best online courses for food editors

Advertising disclosure

1. Unravelling solutions for Future Food problems

coursera

Our society depends on the availability of food and accessibility to it. According to the United Nations nearly 800 million people are hungry and on the other hand, over 650 million people are obese. While many people in developing countries experience food shortage, in industrialized countries people are throwing food away. These facts show how paradoxical and complex the world’s food problem is. ln this course, more than 10 food researchers from Utrecht University will address the main issues...

2. Sustainable Food Production Through Livestock Health Management

coursera

Learn about the impact of infectious disease on sustainable animal-based food production by understanding the science of growth, immunity, and infection and by learning the problem-solving skills needed to advance animal health and food production through optimal management practices. There is a growing global need in agricultural production for a workforce that is capable of integrating knowledge of animal health and production with an understanding of consumer preferences in the context of...

3. Basic Food Photography

udemy
4.2
(1,349)

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

4. Food Photography: Capturing Food in Your Kitchen

udemy
4.7
(3,133)

With DIY Food Photography, you'll be taking better photos in no time with what you have in your own kitchen!...

5. Stanford Introduction to Food and Health

coursera

Around the world, we find ourselves facing global epidemics of obesity, Type 2 Diabetes and other predominantly diet-related diseases. To address these public health crises, we urgently need to explore innovative strategies for promoting healthful eating. There is strong evidence that global increases in the consumption of heavily processed foods, coupled with cultural shifts away from the preparation of food in the home, have contributed to high rates of preventable, chronic disease. In this...

6. Introduction to Food and Our Environment

coursera

This course is designed to help learners around the world become more sustainable eaters. Course videos can be watched in any order. Feel free to explore special areas of interest by skipping ahead and coming back to less familiar topics at a later stage. Together, we’ll explore key topics, like how food production impacts the environment and why meat production and protein consumption are often at the center of the debate around sustainability. We’ll introduce the pros and cons of different...

7. ISO 22000:2018. Food Safety Management System

udemy
4.4
(976)

Understand the requirements for a food safety management system applicable for any organization in the food chain...

8. Fun food safety and sanitation course

udemy
4.6
(539)

The food safety course will help prepare you for safely working in a kitchen and food handler tests like Servesafe...

9. Cooking for Busy Healthy People

coursera

Cooking is one of the most powerful ways in which we can optimize our enjoyment of great quality food while protecting our health. Even on a tight budget, cooking can be a cost-effective, joyful and rewarding way to love the food that will love us back for a lifetime. In this course, you’ll learn some basic recipes from a home cook and two professional chefs who prioritize healthful eating. You’ll also learn some of the fundamentals of principle-based cooking that can help you break free from...

10. You Found It! Foodies Ultimate Food Photography Masterclass

udemy
4.9
(571)

Beautiful Food Photography with any smartphone, iphone or digital camera. See Progress Quickly. Fundamentals matter!...

11. Food Safety for Managers and Supervisors

udemy
4.3
(489)

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

12. The Ultimate Food and Restaurant Business Course

udemy
4.5
(1,874)

For Existing Food & Restaurant Businesses & Start Ups. This course will significantly improve you chance of success...

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

udemy
4.6
(1,644)

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

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

udemy
4.4
(813)

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

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

udemy
4.4
(618)

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

16. Blockchain applications in Food Safety, Healthcare & Pharma

udemy
4.5
(3,019)

Best course to learn about Blockchain Business Applications in Pharma, Food Safety, Healthcare and Insurance Industries...

17. Modern Food Recipes App - Android Development with Kotlin

udemy
4.7
(846)

Develop beautiful and fully functional Android App in Android Studio using the power of Kotlin programming language...

18. Eat Real Food: How to Eat a Whole Food, Plant-Based Diet

udemy
4.5
(4,365)

Learn how to be a healthy vegan or vegetarian in a holistic way for best health, weight, and wellbeing...

19. Vegan Nutrition Health Coach Certification

udemy
4.6
(2,112)

Become a Vegan Nutrition Certified Health Coach, Learn Vegan Cooking, Embrace a Holistic Approach to Food...

20. Build FoodPanda & Uber Eats Clone App with Admin WEB Portal

udemy
4.5
(460)

Learn Flutter 3.0 & Firebase - Develop i OS & Android Food Delivery & Food Ordering App - Shop App Zomato & Swiggy Clone...

Top 10 most affordable universities for food editors

The most affordable schools for food editors are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and hunter college of the city university of new york.

If the best universities for food editors are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for food editors.

1. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

2. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

3. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

4. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

5. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

6. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

7. University of Houston - Victoria

Victoria, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$6,491

Cost of attendance

19,075

8. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

9. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

10. Lehman College of the City University of New York

Bronx, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,210

Cost of attendance

14,359

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for food editors

The hardest universities for food editors to get into are Northwestern University, Washington University in St Louis, and Harvard University.

Some great schools for food editors are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for food editors based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

2. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

3. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

4. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

5. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

6. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

7. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

8. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

9. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,471

10. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

Admissions rate

39%

SAT average

1,367

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for food editors

The easiest schools for food editors to get into are Notre Dame de Namur University, grand view university, and saint joseph's college of maine.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a food editor without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for food editors.

1. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

2. Grand View University

Des Moines, IA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,060

3. Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,069

4. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

5. Rochester University

Rochester Hills, MI • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,002

6. Our Lady of the Lake University

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,002

7. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

8. Rosemont College

Rosemont, PA • Private

Admissions rate

89%

SAT average

1,026

9. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

10. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

Average food editor salary by education level

Food editors with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $101,833 annually. With a Master's degree, food editors earn a median annual income of $89,475 compared to $74,935 for food editors with an Bachelor's degree.
Food editor education levelFood editor salary
Master's Degree$89,475
Bachelor's Degree$74,935
Doctorate Degree$101,833

Food editor education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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