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Food Service Worker Education Requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
Usually, food service workers don't need a college education. The most common degree for food service workers is high school diploma with 44% graduates, with only 21% food service worker graduates earning bachelor's degree. Food service workers who decided to graduate from college often finish University of Phoenix or Central State University. Some good skills to have in this position include food handling, safety standards and customer service.

Popular food service worker certifications include Certified Food Manager (CFM), OSHA Safety Certificate , or Certified Professional - Food Safety (CP-FS). To improve food service worker qualification and skills, we prepared some online courses to help in food service worker education paths.

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

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

The most common degree for food service workers is high school diploma, with 44% of food service workers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 21% and bachelor's degree degree at 17%.
  • High School Diploma, 44%
  • Bachelor's, 21%
  • Associate, 17%
  • Diploma, 11%
  • Other Degrees, 7%

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

You should major in business to become a food service worker. 17% of food service workers major in business. Other common majors for a food service worker include general studies and culinary arts.

Best majors for food service workers

RankMajorPercentages
1Business17.3%
2General Studies10.9%
3Culinary Arts7.4%
4Criminal Justice6.9%
5Psychology6.4%

20 best online courses for food service workers

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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. 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...

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. 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...

7. 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...

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. 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...

11. 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...

12. 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...

13. 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!...

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. 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...

16. 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...

17. 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...

18. Customer Service: 6 Keys To Exceptional Customer Service

udemy
4.6
(601)

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

19. Customer Service Mastery: Delight Every Customer

udemy
4.7
(18,204)

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

20. 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...

Average food service worker salary by education level

Food service workers with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $30,144 annually. With a Associate degree, food service workers earn a median annual income of $29,497 compared to $29,294 for food service workers with an High School Diploma degree.
Food Service Worker education levelFood Service Worker salary
High School Diploma or Less$29,294
Bachelor's Degree$30,144
Some College/ Associate Degree$29,497

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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