Missouri · Culinary Arts and Related Services

Best colleges for Culinary Arts and Related Services in Missouri

Ranked by graduate earnings

Ozarks Technical Community College, East Central College and Jefferson College award the most Culinary Arts and Related Services degrees and certificates in Missouri: 35, 9 and 4 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 8 Missouri colleges offer Culinary Arts and Related Services and award 108 degrees and certificates a year in all.

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
8
offering CIP 12.05
States offered
51
with a program page
Degrees / yr
108
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$25,879
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
2
College Scorecard
Median net price
$8,360
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
44%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Cooks, Restaurant
$38,460
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 2 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings

Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Ozarks Technical Community College
Springfield Public · Associate degree
$25,8793533%—$10,501
2Saint Louis Community College
Bridgeton Public · Associate degree
$26,3183221%——

Colleges awarding the most Culinary Arts and Related Services degrees in Missouri

Top 6 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1Ozarks Technical Community College
Springfield Public
35$25,879
2East Central College
Union Public
9Not reported
3Jefferson College
Hillsboro Public
4Not reported
4College of the Ozarks
Point Lookout Private not-for-profit
3Not reported
5Missouri State University - West Plains
West Plains Public
2Not reported
6Southern Missouri Technical Institute
West Plains Public
2Not reported
Show the other 2 Missouri colleges offering Culinary Arts and Related Services
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
Saint Louis Community CollegeBridgetonPublic32
St Charles Community CollegeCottlevillePublic21

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 Missouri

Jobs in Missouri
25,990
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$38,460
median $36,940
Best-paying metro
$40,500
St. Louis, MO-IL

Related careers

Cooks, Restaurant
$38,460 avg · 25,990 jobs
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers
$43,250 avg · 21,650 jobs
Bartenders
$38,170 avg · 14,410 jobs
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
$35,190 avg · 13,130 jobs
Bakers
$35,920 avg · 4,190 jobs
Butchers and Meat Cutters
$40,810 avg · 2,160 jobs

Common questions

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

Which Missouri colleges award the most Culinary Arts and Related Services degrees?+

Ozarks Technical Community College (35 graduates a year), East Central College (9 graduates a year) and Jefferson College (4 graduates a year) award the most Culinary Arts and Related Services degrees and certificates in Missouri, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 8 Missouri colleges offer Culinary Arts and Related Services.

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

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Ozarks Technical Community College tops the list at $25,879. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Cooks, Restaurant earn in Missouri?+

The average annual wage for Cooks, Restaurant in Missouri is $38,460 (median $36,940), across about 25,990 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

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 statesKansasNebraskaOhioNew HampshireWisconsinMinnesotaUtahWyoming

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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