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Private chef education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a private chef. Private chefs usually study culinary arts, hospitality management, or business. 48% of private chefs hold a associate degree, and 35% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 2,435 real private chef resumes to see exactly what private chef education sections show.
The most common colleges for private chefs are the Culinary Institute of America and the Culinary Institute of America.
There are also many online private chef courses to help get the education required to be a private chef.
There are certain private chef certifications that you should consider. These private chef certifications include Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS) and Certified Food Manager (CFM).
What education do you need to become a private chef?
What degree do you need to be a private chef?
- Associate, 48%
- Bachelor's, 35%
- Diploma, 7%
- High School Diploma, 4%
- Other Degrees, 6%
What should I major in to become a private chef?
- Culinary Arts, 58%
- Business, 7%
- Other Majors, 25%
Most common colleges for private chefs
| Private chef common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Culinary Institute of America | 35.77% |
| Johnson & Wales University | 31.55% |
| New England Culinary Institute | 3.66% |
| The Art Institute of Atlanta | 2.54% |
| Western Washington University | 2.54% |
Best majors for private chefs
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Culinary Arts | 58.5% |
| 2 | Hospitality Management | 7.0% |
| 3 | Business | 7.0% |
| 4 | Health Care Administration | 3.1% |
| 5 | Food And Nutrition | 2.9% |
Best colleges for private chefs
The best colleges for private chefs are Boston University, Cornell University, and Syracuse University.
A private 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 private 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 private chefs.
1. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
2. University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH • Private
In-state tuition
$11,000
Enrollment
25,973
3. Drexel University
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,244
Enrollment
15,557
4. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
5. Georgetown University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$54,104
Enrollment
7,089
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
8. University of New Hampshire
Durham, NH • Private
In-state tuition
$18,499
Enrollment
12,668
9. Monroe College
Bronx, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$15,428
Enrollment
5,482
10. SUNY College of Technology at Delhi
Delhi, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,360
Enrollment
3,142
20 best online courses for private chefs
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Top 10 most affordable universities for private chefs
The most affordable schools for private chefs are USF Sarasota-Manatee, inter american university of puerto rico ponce, and inter american university of puerto rico aguadilla.
If the best universities for private 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 private chefs.
1. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
2. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Ponce
Mercedita, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$5,914
Cost of attendance
13,564
3. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Aguadilla
Aguadilla, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$5,902
Cost of attendance
13,284
4. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
5. Brigham Young University - Hawaii
Laie, HI • Private
In-state tuition
$5,560
Cost of attendance
18,043
6. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
7. Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$4,831
Cost of attendance
19,559
8. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
9. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
10. Eastern New Mexico University
Portales, NM • Private
In-state tuition
$6,326
Cost of attendance
17,330
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for private chefs
The hardest universities for private chefs to get into are Boston University, Cornell University, and Syracuse University.
Some great schools for private 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 private 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. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
2. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
3. Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY • Private
Admissions rate
50%
SAT average
1,284
4. Saint Louis University
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
58%
SAT average
1,304
5. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
Admissions rate
58%
SAT average
1,309
6. Drexel University
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
77%
SAT average
1,281
7. University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
59%
SAT average
1,367
8. University of Denver
Denver, CO • Private
Admissions rate
56%
SAT average
1,300
9. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
10. Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester, NY • Private
Admissions rate
66%
SAT average
1,319
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for private chefs
The easiest schools for private chefs to get into are Life University, university of north texas at dallas, and indiana university of pennsylvania.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a private 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 private chefs.
1. Life University
Marietta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
94%
SAT average
979
2. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
992
3. Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Indiana, PA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,019
4. Ferris State University
Big Rapids, MI • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
1,070
5. Central Washington University
Ellensburg, WA • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,062
6. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
7. Cleary University
Howell, MI • Private
Admissions rate
58%
SAT average
1,039
8. Saint Thomas University
Miami Gardens, FL • Private
Admissions rate
52%
SAT average
1,031
9. Colorado Mesa University
Grand Junction, CO • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
1,022
10. University of Southern Maine
Portland, ME • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,050
Average private chef salary by education level
| Private chef education level | Private chef salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $51,191 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $56,185 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $57,025 |
Private 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