Prep Cook Education Requirements And Courses

Prep cook education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Usually, prep cooks don't need a college education. The most common degree for prep cooks is high school diploma with 48% graduates, with only 20% prep cook graduates earning associate degree. Prep cooks who decided to graduate from college often finish Johnson & Wales University or University of Phoenix. Some good skills to have in this position include food handling, culinary and sanitation standards.

Popular prep cook certifications include OSHA Safety Certificate , Certified Food Manager (CFM), or ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification. To improve prep cook qualification and skills, we prepared some online courses to help in prep cook education paths.

What education do you need to become a prep cook?

What degree do you need to be a prep cook?

The most common degree for prep cooks is high school diploma, with 48% of prep cooks earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 20% and associate degree degree at 14%.

High School Diploma, 48%

Associate, 20%

Diploma, 14%

Bachelor's, 13%

Other Degrees, 5%

What should I major in to become a prep cook?

You should major in culinary arts to become a prep cook. 30% of prep cooks major in culinary arts. Other common majors for a prep cook include business and general studies.

Culinary Arts, 30%

Business, 15%

General Studies, 10%

Criminal Justice, 5%

Other Majors, 40%

Best majors for prep cooks

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Culinary Arts	29.5%
2	Business	14.9%
3	General Studies	9.6%
4	Criminal Justice	5.3%
5	Psychology	3.8%

Show more common prep cook majors

20 best online courses for prep cooks

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1. Cooking for Busy Healthy People

Cooking is one of the most powerful ways in which we can optimize our enjoyment of great quality food while protecting our health. Even on a tight budget, cooking can be a cost-effective, joyful and rewarding way to love the food that will love us back for a lifetime. In this course, you’ll learn some basic recipes from a home cook and two professional chefs who prioritize healthful eating. You’ll also learn some of the fundamentals of principle-based cooking that can help you break free from...

2. Fun food safety and sanitation course

4.6

(539)

The food safety course will help prepare you for safely working in a kitchen and food handler tests like Servesafe...

3. Cook Real Food: How to Make Simple Plant-Based Meals

4.6

(1,644)

Learn how to cook whole plant foods to make quick, easy, and healthy vegan meals for practical everyday eating...

4. ISO 22000:2018. Food Safety Management System

4.4

(976)

Understand the requirements for a food safety management system applicable for any organization in the food chain...

5. Food Safety for Managers and Supervisors

4.3

(489)

The Highfield Food Safety Level 3 syllabus presented in two hours of video tutorials. Boost your food safety knowledge...

6. ISO 22000 (HACCP and PRPs) for Food Safety

4.4

(618)

Standards, analysis, control points, and risk management related to ISO 22000 for food industry professionals...

7. Tableau Prep for Business Intelligence

4.7

(804)

Learn how to use Tableau Prep & Tableau Prep Builder to clean, shape and prepare data for analysis & visualization...

8. Customer Service & Support For Customer Service Executives

4.5

(941)

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

9. OSHA Workplace Safety (General Industry 6 Hr Class)

4.5

(2,583)

Learn the requirements and standards associated with OSHA and workplace safety. Safety best practices for the workplace...

10. Customer Service, Customer Support, And Customer Experience

4.6

(2,666)

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

11. Food Photography: Capturing Food in Your Kitchen

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!...

12. Customer Service: 6 Keys To Exceptional Customer Service

4.6

(601)

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

13. Customer Service Mastery: Delight Every Customer

4.7

(18,204)

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

14. Blockchain applications in Food Safety, Healthcare & Pharma

4.5

(3,019)

Best course to learn about Blockchain Business Applications in Pharma, Food Safety, Healthcare and Insurance Industries...

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

4.4

(960)

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

16. Occupational Health & Safety Training

4.4

(1,198)

Workplace Health and Safety Course For Employees & Managers...

17. Get to Know Your Food: Claims, Labels & Ingredients

4.4

(813)

Learn how to make the healthiest and best food choices amidst processed and packaged foods...

18. OSHA Safety Pro: Personal Protective Equipment

4.5

(1,881)

Impress management or get that job with you your ability to display life and dollar saving work place safety practices...

19. Basic Food Photography

4.2

(1,349)

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

20. Fundamentals of Logistics, Supply Chain & Customer Service

4.5

(3,822)

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

Average prep cook salary by education level

Prep cooks with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $34,233 annually. With a Associate degree, prep cooks earn a median annual income of $33,511 compared to $32,837 for prep cooks with an High School Diploma degree.

Prep cook education level	Prep cook salary
High School Diploma or Less	$32,837
Bachelor's Degree	$34,233
No Education	$32,488
Some College/ Associate Degree	$33,511