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Sushi chef education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a sushi chef. Sushi chefs usually study culinary arts, business, or graphic design. 40% of sushi chefs hold a bachelor's degree, and 26% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 3,310 real sushi chef resumes to see exactly what sushi chef education sections show.

The most common colleges for sushi chefs are the Johnson & Wales University and the Johnson & Wales University.

There are also many online sushi chef courses to help get the education required to be a sushi chef.

There are certain sushi chef certifications that you should consider. These sushi chef certifications include Certified Food Manager (CFM) and Certified Professional - Food Safety (CP-FS).

What education do you need to become a sushi chef?

What degree do you need to be a sushi chef?

The most common degree for sushi chefs is bachelor's degree, with 40% of sushi chefs earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 26% and associate degree degree at 25%.
  • Bachelor's, 40%
  • Associate, 26%
  • High School Diploma, 25%
  • Diploma, 5%
  • Other Degrees, 4%

What should I major in to become a sushi chef?

You should major in culinary arts to become a sushi chef. 26% of sushi chefs major in culinary arts. Other common majors for a sushi chef include business and graphic design.

Most common colleges for sushi chefs

Sushi chefs often get their degrees at Johnson & Wales University, Culinary Institute of America, and University of California - Davis. Here are the most common colleges for sushi chefs in the US based on their resumes.
Sushi chef common collegePercentages
Johnson & Wales University17.81%
Culinary Institute of America8.22%
University of California - Davis6.85%
University of Colorado at Boulder5.48%
University of Central Florida4.79%

Best majors for sushi chefs

RankMajorPercentages
1Culinary Arts26.4%
2Business12.3%
3Graphic Design6.0%
4Psychology5.8%
5Hospitality Management5.5%

Best colleges for sushi chefs

The best colleges for sushi chefs are Drexel University, Boston University, and University of Cincinnati.

A sushi 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 sushi 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 sushi 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 sushi chefs

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Top 10 most affordable universities for sushi chefs

The most affordable schools for sushi 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 sushi 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 sushi 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 sushi chefs

The hardest universities for sushi chefs to get into are Drexel University, Boston University, and University of Cincinnati.

Some great schools for sushi 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 sushi 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 sushi chefs

The easiest schools for sushi 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 sushi 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 sushi 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 sushi chef salary by education level

Sushi chefs with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $48,142 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, sushi chefs earn a median annual income of $47,328 compared to $42,523 for sushi chefs with an High School Diploma degree.
Sushi chef education levelSushi chef salary
High School Diploma or Less$42,523
Bachelor's Degree$47,328
Some College/ Associate Degree$48,142

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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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