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Food writer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a food writer. Food writers usually study journalism, english, or culinary arts. 76% of food writers hold a bachelor's degree, and 11% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 197 real food writer resumes to see exactly what food writer education sections show.
The most common colleges for food writers are the Johnson & Wales University and the Johnson & Wales University.
There are also many online food writer courses to help get the education required to be a food writer.
What education do you need to become a food writer?
What degree do you need to be a food writer?
- Bachelor's, 76%
- Associate, 11%
- Master's, 9%
- High School Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 1%
What should I major in to become a food writer?
- Journalism, 20%
- English, 19%
- Culinary Arts, 8%
- Communication, 8%
- Other Majors, 45%
Most common colleges for food writers
| Food writer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Johnson & Wales University | 8.33% |
| New York University | 8.33% |
| Central Washington University | 6.25% |
| University of Massachusetts Amherst | 6.25% |
| Teachers College of Columbia University | 6.25% |
Best majors for food writers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Journalism | 20.2% |
| 2 | English | 19.3% |
| 3 | Culinary Arts | 8.4% |
| 4 | Communication | 7.6% |
| 5 | Writing | 5.9% |
Best colleges for food writers
The best colleges for food writers are Northwestern University, Northeastern University, and Harvard University.
A food writer 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 writers. 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 writers.
1. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
2. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,832
Enrollment
4,550
4. University of Houston
Houston, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$8,913
Enrollment
37,291
5. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
6. University of Georgia
Athens, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,830
Enrollment
29,474
7. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
8. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,522
Enrollment
13,760
9. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
10. Texas State University
San Marcos, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,280
Enrollment
34,187
20 best online courses for food writers
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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...
6. 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...
7. Food Safety for Managers and Supervisors
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12. ISO 22000 (HACCP and PRPs) for Food Safety
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13. Blockchain applications in Food Safety, Healthcare & Pharma
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14. Get to Know Your Food: Claims, Labels & Ingredients
Learn how to make the healthiest and best food choices amidst processed and packaged foods...
15. Cook Real Food: How to Make Simple Plant-Based Meals
Learn how to cook whole plant foods to make quick, easy, and healthy vegan meals for practical everyday eating...
16. Modern Food Recipes App - Android Development with Kotlin
Develop beautiful and fully functional Android App in Android Studio using the power of Kotlin programming language...
17. Eat Real Food: How to Eat a Whole Food, Plant-Based Diet
Learn how to be a healthy vegan or vegetarian in a holistic way for best health, weight, and wellbeing...
18. Build FoodPanda & Uber Eats Clone App with Admin WEB Portal
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19. Vegan Nutrition Health Coach Certification
Become a Vegan Nutrition Certified Health Coach, Learn Vegan Cooking, Embrace a Holistic Approach to Food...
20. Nutrition for Inflammation - The Anti-inflammatory Diet
Heal Your Body Using Food as Medicine...
Top 10 most affordable universities for food writers
The most affordable schools for food writers are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and brooklyn college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for food writers 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 writers.
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. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
4. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
5. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
6. Lehman College of the City University of New York
Bronx, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,210
Cost of attendance
14,359
7. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
8. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
9. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
10. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for food writers
The hardest universities for food writers to get into are Northwestern University, Northeastern University, and Harvard University.
Some great schools for food writers 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 writers 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. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
3. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
4. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
5. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
6. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
7. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
Admissions rate
39%
SAT average
1,367
8. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
9. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
10. Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
51%
SAT average
1,395
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for food writers
The easiest schools for food writers to get into are Barry University, saint joseph's college of maine, and grand view university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a food writer 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 writers.
1. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
2. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
3. Grand View University
Des Moines, IA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,060
4. Rochester University
Rochester Hills, MI • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,002
5. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
6. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
7. Pennsylvania State University - Worthington Scranton
Dunmore, PA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
1,056
8. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
9. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
10. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
Average food writer salary by education level
| Food writer education level | Food writer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $69,261 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $65,926 |
Food writer education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025