Short Order Cook Education Requirements And Courses

Short order cook education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Usually, short order cooks don't need a college education. The most common degree for short order cooks is high school diploma with 43% graduates, with only 21% short order cook graduates earning associate degree. Short order cooks who decided to graduate from college often finish University of Phoenix or Johnson & Wales University. Some good skills to have in this position include food handling, customer service and food preparation equipment.

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

What education do you need to become a short order cook?

What degree do you need to be a short order cook?

The most common degree for short order cooks is high school diploma, with 43% of short order cooks earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 21% and associate degree degree at 20%.

High School Diploma, 43%

Associate, 21%

Bachelor's, 20%

Diploma, 12%

Other Degrees, 4%

What should I major in to become a short order cook?

You should major in culinary arts to become a short order cook. 21% of short order cooks major in culinary arts. Other common majors for a short order cook include business and general studies.

Culinary Arts, 21%

Business, 17%

General Studies, 11%

Criminal Justice, 7%

Other Majors, 44%

Best majors for short order cooks

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Culinary Arts	20.5%
2	Business	17.0%
3	General Studies	11.2%
4	Criminal Justice	6.5%
5	Health Care Administration	3.8%

Show more common short order cook majors

20 best online courses for short order cooks

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Our society depends on the availability of food and accessibility to it. According to the United Nations nearly 800 million people are hungry and on the other hand, over 650 million people are obese. While many people in developing countries experience food shortage, in industrialized countries people are throwing food away. These facts show how paradoxical and complex the world’s food problem is. ln this course, more than 10 food researchers from Utrecht University will address the main issues...

2. Stanford Introduction to Food and Health

Around the world, we find ourselves facing global epidemics of obesity, Type 2 Diabetes and other predominantly diet-related diseases. To address these public health crises, we urgently need to explore innovative strategies for promoting healthful eating. There is strong evidence that global increases in the consumption of heavily processed foods, coupled with cultural shifts away from the preparation of food in the home, have contributed to high rates of preventable, chronic disease. In this...

3. Fun food safety and sanitation course

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

4. ISO 22000:2018. Food Safety Management System

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

5. 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...

6. Food Safety for Managers and Supervisors

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

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

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

8. Food Photography: Capturing Food in Your Kitchen

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With DIY Food Photography, you'll be taking better photos in no time with what you have in your own kitchen!...

9. Basic Food Photography

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

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

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

11. Blockchain applications in Food Safety, Healthcare & Pharma

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12. Fundamentals of Logistics, Supply Chain & Customer Service

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

13. Customer Service & Support For Customer Service Executives

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

14. Customer Service, Customer Support, And Customer Experience

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

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

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

16. You Found It! Foodies Ultimate Food Photography Masterclass

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Beautiful Food Photography with any smartphone, iphone or digital camera. See Progress Quickly. Fundamentals matter!...

17. Customer Service Mastery: Delight Every Customer

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

18. Customer Service: 6 Keys To Exceptional Customer Service

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

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

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

20. The Customer: Build a Customer Service Strategy (BITE SIZE)

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For you and your team to be successful in providing great customer service, start by putting your customer first...

Average short order cook salary by education level

Short order cooks with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $32,666 annually. With a Associate degree, short order cooks earn a median annual income of $31,946 compared to $31,276 for short order cooks with an High School Diploma degree.

Short order cook education level	Short order cook salary
High School Diploma or Less	$31,276
Bachelor's Degree	$32,666
No Education	$30,929
Some College/ Associate Degree	$31,946