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Food production manager education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a food production manager. Food production managers usually study culinary arts, hospitality management, or business. 43% of food production managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 37% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 1,045 real food production manager resumes to see exactly what food production manager education sections show.
The most common colleges for food production managers are the Johnson & Wales University and the Johnson & Wales University.
There are also many online food production manager courses to help get the education required to be a food production manager.
There are certain food production manager certifications that you should consider. These food production manager certifications include ServSafe Alcohol and Certified Food Manager (CFM).
What education do you need to become a food production manager?
What degree do you need to be a food production manager?
- Bachelor's, 43%
- Associate, 37%
- High School Diploma, 11%
- Master's, 3%
- Other Degrees, 6%
What should I major in to become a food production manager?
- Culinary Arts, 23%
- Business, 16%
- Other Majors, 37%
Most common colleges for food production managers
| Food production manager common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Johnson & Wales University | 31.62% |
| Culinary Institute of America | 24.26% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 3.68% |
| Michigan State University | 2.94% |
| University of New Haven | 2.94% |
Best majors for food production managers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Culinary Arts | 22.6% |
| 2 | Hospitality Management | 17.3% |
| 3 | Business | 16.3% |
| 4 | Food And Nutrition | 6.6% |
| 5 | Management | 5.6% |
Best colleges for food production managers
The best colleges for food production managers are Cornell University, New York University, and Boston University.
A food production manager 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 production managers. 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 production managers.
1. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
2. SUNY College of Technology at Delhi
Delhi, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,360
Enrollment
3,142
3. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
4. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
5. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Ponce
Mercedita, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$5,914
Enrollment
4,155
6. University of Akron
Akron, OH • Private
In-state tuition
$11,463
Enrollment
13,676
7. SUNY College of Agriculture & Technology at Morrisville
Morrisville, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,670
Enrollment
2,758
8. SUNY College at Plattsburgh
Plattsburgh, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,369
Enrollment
5,229
9. Drexel University
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,244
Enrollment
15,557
10. University of Alaska Anchorage
Anchorage, AK • Private
In-state tuition
$8,580
Enrollment
10,482
20 best online courses for food production managers
Advertising disclosure
1. Sustainable Food Production Through Livestock Health Management
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...
2. Introduction to Food and Our Environment
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...
3. ISO 22000:2018. Food Safety Management System
Understand the requirements for a food safety management system applicable for any organization in the food chain...
4. Food Safety for Managers and Supervisors
The Highfield Food Safety Level 3 syllabus presented in two hours of video tutorials. Boost your food safety knowledge...
5. Unravelling solutions for Future Food problems
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...
6. ISO 22000 (HACCP and PRPs) for Food Safety
Standards, analysis, control points, and risk management related to ISO 22000 for food industry professionals...
7. Fun food safety and sanitation course
The food safety course will help prepare you for safely working in a kitchen and food handler tests like Servesafe...
8. Food Photography: Capturing Food in Your Kitchen
With DIY Food Photography, you'll be taking better photos in no time with what you have in your own kitchen!...
9. Basic Food Photography
Learn how to take delicious food photos from scratch...
10. Fundamentals of Logistics, Supply Chain & Customer Service
Learn Logistics, Supply Chain and Customer Service. 3 Courses in 1...
11. Customer Service Mastery: Delight Every Customer
Master Customer Service using this practical customer care course...
12. Blockchain applications in Food Safety, Healthcare & Pharma
Best course to learn about Blockchain Business Applications in Pharma, Food Safety, Healthcare and Insurance Industries...
13. Customer Service & Support For Customer Service Executives
Learn Customer Service Skills & Provide Excellent Customer Support, Customer Experience & How To Manage Upset Customers...
14. Customer Service, Customer Support, And Customer Experience
Customer service, customer support, and customer experience training. Loyal clients through world-class customer service...
15. Get to Know Your Food: Claims, Labels & Ingredients
Learn how to make the healthiest and best food choices amidst processed and packaged foods...
16. You Found It! Foodies Ultimate Food Photography Masterclass
Beautiful Food Photography with any smartphone, iphone or digital camera. See Progress Quickly. Fundamentals matter!...
17. Supply Chain Management A-Z: Operations & Logistics Basics
Supply Chain Management Basics: An MBA style course to boost your career as a business operations & logistics manager...
18. SAP Customer Service (CS/SM) - Service Management module
Real World SAP CS and SD, Repair Orders, Service Orders, Service Contracts...
19. Customer Service: 6 Keys To Exceptional Customer Service
Master Customer Satisfaction & Astonish Your Customers With A+ Customer Service...
20. [2023] Customer Service 2.0: Learn Digital Customer Service
Used by Chase®, Intel®, & more! Learn soft skills, social media customer service, diagnosing user problems, & more...
Top 10 most affordable universities for food production managers
The most affordable schools for food production managers are USF Sarasota-Manatee, suny farmingdale, and brooklyn college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for food production managers 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 production managers.
1. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
2. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
3. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
4. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
5. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
6. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
7. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
8. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
9. Lehman College of the City University of New York
Bronx, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,210
Cost of attendance
14,359
10. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for food production managers
The hardest universities for food production managers to get into are Cornell University, New York University, and Boston University.
Some great schools for food production managers 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 production managers 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. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
2. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
3. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
4. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
5. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
6. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
7. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
8. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
9. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
Admissions rate
39%
SAT average
1,367
10. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for food production managers
The easiest schools for food production managers to get into are Life University, university of north texas at dallas, and oklahoma wesleyan university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a food production manager 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 production managers.
1. Life University
Marietta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
94%
SAT average
979
2. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
992
3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
4. Texas Woman's University
Denton, TX • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,059
5. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
6. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
7. LIM College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
1,061
8. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
9. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
10. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
Average food production manager salary by education level
| Food production manager education level | Food production manager salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $50,149 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $39,883 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $48,074 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $42,222 |
Food production manager education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025