California · Culinary Arts and Related Services

Best Culinary Arts and Related Services institutions in California, ranked by earnings

The Culinary Arts and Related Services program prepares students for a variety of careers in the culinary field, focusing on essential cooking techniques and management skills. This program is ideal for those passionate about food and…

Institutions
55
offering CIP 12.05
States offered
9
with a program page
Degrees / yr
2,091
IPEDS completions 2026
Median grad earnings
$21,509
1 year after graduation
With earnings data
2
College Scorecard
Median net price
$24,518
IPEDS 2026
Avg graduation rate
41%
IPEDS 2026
State pay · Cooks, Restaurant
$44,240
BLS OEWS 2024

Top 2 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings

Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard).

#InstitutionGrad earnings (1 yr)CompletionsGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Institute of Culinary Education
Pasadena Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$22,75931077%$6,777
2Institute of Technology
Clovis Private for-profit · Certificate degree
$21,5093773%$24,518$9,500

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Cooks, Restaurant (SOC 35-2014).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+14.9%
Much faster than average
Openings / yr (US)
~250,700
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$36,830
typically No formal educational credential

Top skills

Critical ThinkingMonitoringSpeakingActive ListeningReading ComprehensionActive Learning

What Cooks, Restaurant earn in California

Jobs in California
160,270
BLS OEWS May 2024
State average pay
$44,240
median $44,290
Best-paying metro
$50,190
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA

Related careers

Cooks, Restaurant
$44,240 avg · 160,270 jobs
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers
$50,160 avg · 124,240 jobs
Bartenders
$45,750 avg · 69,790 jobs
Food Service Managers
$77,740 avg · 38,960 jobs
Bakers
$42,560 avg · 32,140 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Culinary Arts and Related Services programs in California.

Which Culinary Arts and Related Services program in California has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (College Scorecard), Institute of Culinary Education tops the list at $22,759. Compare it against completions, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Cooks, Restaurant earn in California?+

The average annual wage for Cooks, Restaurant in California is $44,240 (median $44,290), across about 160,270 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2024.

What is the focus of the Culinary Arts and Related Services program?+

The Culinary Arts and Related Services program prepares students for a variety of careers in the culinary field, focusing on essential cooking techniques and management skills. This program is ideal for those passionate about food and…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop critical thinking, monitoring, speaking, active listening, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Cooks, Restaurant?+

The national job outlook is about +14.9% growth with around 250,700 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A No formal educational credential is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

Culinary Arts and Related Services in other statesKansasNebraskaOhioWisconsinMinnesotaUtahArizonaMaine

Explore every U.S. college in one conversation

Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.

Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card