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Prep chef education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a prep chef. Prep chefs usually study culinary arts, business, or general studies. 31% of prep chefs hold a high school diploma, and 28% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 3,085 real prep chef resumes to see exactly what prep chef education sections show.
The most common colleges for prep chefs are the Johnson & Wales University and the Johnson & Wales University.
There are also many online prep chef courses to help get the education required to be a prep chef.
There are certain prep chef certifications that you should consider. These prep chef certifications include Certified Food Manager (CFM) and Certified Professional - Food Safety (CP-FS).
What education do you need to become a prep chef?
What degree do you need to be a prep chef?
- High School Diploma, 31%
- Bachelor's, 28%
- Associate, 27%
- Diploma, 9%
- Other Degrees, 5%
What should I major in to become a prep chef?
- Culinary Arts, 35%
- Business, 13%
- General Studies, 6%
- Criminal Justice, 5%
- Other Majors, 41%
Most common colleges for prep chefs
| Prep chef common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Johnson & Wales University | 25.00% |
| Culinary Institute of America | 10.42% |
| St. Louis | 6.25% |
| University of Phoenix | 6.25% |
| Western Washington University | 5.56% |
Best majors for prep chefs
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Culinary Arts | 35.4% |
| 2 | Business | 13.2% |
| 3 | General Studies | 6.3% |
| 4 | Criminal Justice | 5.1% |
| 5 | Hospitality Management | 5.0% |
Best colleges for prep chefs
The best colleges for prep chefs are Drexel University, Boston University, and University of Cincinnati.
A prep chef with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for prep chefs. 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 prep chefs.
1. Drexel University
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,244
Enrollment
15,557
2. University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH • Private
In-state tuition
$11,000
Enrollment
25,973
3. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
4. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
5. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
6. Southwest Minnesota State University
Marshall, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$8,612
Enrollment
2,022
7. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Ponce
Mercedita, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$5,914
Enrollment
4,155
20 best online courses for prep chefs
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Top 10 most affordable universities for prep chefs
The most affordable schools for prep chefs are Inter American University of Puerto Rico Barranquitas, inter american university of puerto rico aguadilla, and inter american university of puerto rico bayamon.
If the best universities for prep chefs 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 prep chefs.
1. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Barranquitas
Barranquitas, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$5,902
Cost of attendance
13,479
2. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Aguadilla
Aguadilla, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$5,902
Cost of attendance
13,284
3. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon
Bayamon, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$5,940
Cost of attendance
13,508
4. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Ponce
Mercedita, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$5,914
Cost of attendance
13,564
5. University of North Alabama
Florence, AL • Private
In-state tuition
$10,142
Cost of attendance
18,712
6. University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM • Private
In-state tuition
$7,633
Cost of attendance
19,235
7. SUNY College of Technology at Alfred
Alfred, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,570
Cost of attendance
23,713
8. SUNY College of Technology at Delhi
Delhi, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,360
Cost of attendance
23,486
9. Mississippi University for Women
Columbus, MS • Private
In-state tuition
$6,940
Cost of attendance
18,689
10. Mississippi State University
Mississippi State, MS • Private
In-state tuition
$8,650
Cost of attendance
24,275
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for prep chefs
The hardest universities for prep chefs to get into are Drexel University, Boston University, and University of Cincinnati.
Some great schools for prep chefs 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 prep chefs 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. Drexel University
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
77%
SAT average
1,281
2. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
3. University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH • Private
Admissions rate
73%
SAT average
1,269
4. University of Charleston
Charleston, WV • Private
Admissions rate
50%
SAT average
1,057
5. Mississippi State University
Mississippi State, MS • Private
Admissions rate
57%
SAT average
1,230
6. SUNY College of Technology at Alfred
Alfred, NY • Private
Admissions rate
63%
SAT average
1,071
7. University of North Alabama
Florence, AL • Private
Admissions rate
64%
SAT average
1,134
8. Delaware Valley University
Doylestown, PA • Private
Admissions rate
66%
SAT average
1,080
9. University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
1,120
10. Hope College
Holland, MI • Private
Admissions rate
76%
SAT average
1,233
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for prep chefs
The easiest schools for prep chefs to get into are Life University, drexel university, and university of cincinnati.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a prep chef 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 prep chefs.
1. Life University
Marietta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
94%
SAT average
979
2. Drexel University
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
77%
SAT average
1,281
3. University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH • Private
Admissions rate
73%
SAT average
1,269
4. University of Charleston
Charleston, WV • Private
Admissions rate
50%
SAT average
1,057
5. SUNY College of Technology at Delhi
Delhi, NY • Private
Admissions rate
64%
SAT average
1,011
6. Mississippi University for Women
Columbus, MS • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,085
7. Ferris State University
Big Rapids, MI • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
1,070
8. Washington Adventist Hospital
Takoma Park, MD • Private
Admissions rate
52%
SAT average
958
9. SUNY College of Technology at Alfred
Alfred, NY • Private
Admissions rate
63%
SAT average
1,071
10. University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
1,120
Average prep chef salary by education level
| Prep chef education level | Prep chef salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $25,698 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $28,306 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $28,745 |
Prep chef education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common food preparation and restaurant questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025