Post job

Food service assistant education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
Usually, food service assistants don't need a college education. The most common degree for food service assistants is bachelor's degree with 33% graduates, with only 32% food service assistant graduates earning high school diploma. Food service assistants who decided to graduate from college often finish Southern Illinois University Carbondale or University of Phoenix. Some good skills to have in this position include patients, customer service and food handling.

Popular food service assistant certifications include ServSafe Alcohol, Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA), or Medical Assistant. To improve food service assistant qualification and skills, we prepared some online courses to help in food service assistant education paths.

What education do you need to become a food service assistant?

What degree do you need to be a food service assistant?

The most common degree for food service assistants is bachelor's degree, with 33% of food service assistants earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are high school diploma degree at 32% and high school diploma degree at 20%.
  • Bachelor's, 33%
  • High School Diploma, 32%
  • Associate, 20%
  • Diploma, 9%
  • Other Degrees, 6%

What should I major in to become a food service assistant?

You should major in business to become a food service assistant. 19% of food service assistants major in business. Other common majors for a food service assistant include general studies and culinary arts.

Best majors for food service assistants

RankMajorPercentages
1Business19.4%
2General Studies8.2%
3Culinary Arts8.0%
4Psychology6.2%
5Criminal Justice5.9%

20 best online courses for food service assistants

Advertising disclosure

1. 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...

2. 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...

3. 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...

4. 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...

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. 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...

7. 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...

8. 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!...

9. Basic Food Photography

udemy
4.2
(1,349)

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

10. 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...

11. 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...

12. 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...

13. Customer Service Mastery: Delight Every Customer

udemy
4.7
(18,204)

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

14. 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!...

15. Customer Service & Support For Customer Service Executives

udemy
4.5
(941)

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

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

udemy
4.4
(960)

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

17. Customer Service: 6 Keys To Exceptional Customer Service

udemy
4.6
(601)

Master Customer Satisfaction & Astonish Your Customers With A+ Customer Service...

18. Customer Service, Customer Support, And Customer Experience

udemy
4.6
(2,666)

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

19. 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...

20. Fundamentals of Logistics, Supply Chain & Customer Service

udemy
4.5
(3,822)

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

Average food service assistant salary by education level

According to our data, food service assistants with a Bachelor's degree earn the highest average salary, at $30,551 annually. Food service assistants with a Associate degree earn an average annual salary of $29,996.
Food service assistant education levelFood service assistant salary
High School Diploma or Less$29,821
Bachelor's Degree$30,551
Some College/ Associate Degree$29,996

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.

Browse food preparation and restaurant jobs