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Mess cook education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
Usually, mess cooks don't need a college education. The most common degree for mess cooks is high school diploma with 36% graduates, with only 36% mess cook graduates earning associate degree. Mess cooks who decided to graduate from college often finish Johnson & Wales University or Fairmont State University. Some good skills to have in this position include kitchen equipment, food service and mix ingredients.

What education do you need to become a mess cook?

What degree do you need to be a mess cook?

The most common degree for mess cooks is high school diploma, with 36% of mess cooks earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 36% and associate degree degree at 18%.
  • High School Diploma, 36%
  • Associate, 36%
  • Bachelor's, 18%
  • Diploma, 9%

What should I major in to become a mess cook?

You should major in culinary arts to become a mess cook. 24% of mess cooks major in culinary arts. Other common majors for a mess cook include business and criminal justice.

Best majors for mess cooks

RankMajorPercentages
1Culinary Arts23.8%
2Business19.0%
3Criminal Justice4.8%
4Management4.8%
5Computer Applications4.8%

20 best online courses for mess cooks

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1. 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...

2. 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...

3. 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...

4. 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...

5. 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...

6. 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!...

7. 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...

8. Mixing and Mastering in Logic Pro X - Music Production Guide

udemy
4.6
(1,695)

Learn Mixing and Mastering in Logic Pro X with our follow-along music production guide for mixing and mastering music...

9. Product Management Crash Course; IT Product Management

udemy
4.4
(593)

Product Management Essentials & Product Management Fundamentals to kick-start your career in Product Management...

10. Music Production in Logic Pro X: Vocal Mixing Essentials

udemy
4.6
(575)

Learn the essentials of mixing in Logic Pro X using only stock plugins and effects in our Music Production Course...

11. Music Production + Mixing Music in Presonus Studio One

udemy
4.8
(926)

Learn Presonus Studio One + Music Production in this Complete Course for Creating, Recording, Mixing Music + Mastering...

12. Product Management Marketing: Dekker's Product Marketing MBA

udemy
4.6
(2,007)

Be a Product Marketing Manager - Product Management : Product Manager MBA : Product to Market : Product Owner Launch GTM...

13. Technical Product Management: learn on 4 real industry cases

udemy
4.3
(930)

Boost your technicality (as a PM) or tech product skills (as an engineer) to grow in your current role...

14. FL Studio - Music Production + Mixing Music -Complete Course

udemy
4.6
(3,327)

Learn Music Production in FL Studio for Mac + PC for Recording, Editing, Composing, Mixing and Mastering in FL Studio...

15. The Complete EDM Production Course - Produce, Mix & Master

udemy
4.4
(2,674)

Learn EDM Production, mixing, mastering, sound design, arrangement, plugins, techniques & more using any software or DAW...

16. Product Management A-Z: Excel as a PM & Build great Products

udemy
4.7
(764)

Product Management course (with Live Case Exercises & inputs from PMs @Top Tech cos.)- Build n Grow products & Get Hired...

17. GarageBand Masterclass: GarageBand for Music Production

udemy
4.7
(1,314)

Learn Garage Band for music production, music composition, music mixing, audio production, songwriting, and so much more!...

18. Basic Food Photography

udemy
4.2
(1,349)

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

19. Productivity for Mac Users: 10x Your Productivity

udemy
4.2
(982)

Shortcuts and Tools to 10x Your Productivity on Your Mac...

20. Smart Tips: Time Management & Productivity

udemy
4.5
(10,588)

Master time management and equip yourself with tools and strategies to be highly productive at work and home...

Average mess cook salary by education level

Mess cooks with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $36,375 annually. With a Associate degree, mess cooks earn a median annual income of $35,593 compared to $34,865 for mess cooks with an High School Diploma degree.
Mess cook education levelMess cook salary
High School Diploma or Less$34,865
Bachelor's Degree$36,375
No Education$34,487
Some College/ Associate Degree$35,593

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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