by our College Data Analytics TeamIf you are a people person and enjoy helping others look and feel their best, a career in Personal and Culinary Services is right for you.
In personal services, you will be able to get a degree in areas such as Cosmetology which allows you to practice creativity and expertise as you perfect someone's hair or makeup. A major in Culinary Arts allows you to explore your passion for food and cooking to work in the kitchen as an assistant or top chef. A degree in Funeral Service and Mortuary Science will allow you to meet people's needs in a very emotional time. No matter what occupation you decide to purse, a career in Personal and Culinary Services will give you the opportunity to serve others while following your passion.
Many of these degrees are offered as an Associate's, although some college have Bachelor's programs associated with them.
Personal & Culinary Services was the 31st most popular major in the 2020-2021 school year. Colleges in the United States reported awarding 130,328 degrees in this year alone. This is a difference of 10,475 over the prior year, a growth of 8.0%.
Our 2023 Best Personal & Culinary Services Schools ranking analyzes 173 of these schools to determine the best overall colleges for personal and culinary services students. Explore this or one of our many other custom personal and culinary services rankings further below.
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Any career in personal services requires strong interpersonal, communication, and customer service skills. It is also important to be able to work in a team and swiftly meet your client's needs. Personal and Culinary Services graduates often have management roles within their companies requiring them to work with other managers or assign tasks to colleagues. The background in business also makes graduates stand out to employers.
Some careers within Personal and Culinary Services require a state-specific license. Be sure to check with the state you want to work in to ensure you are fulfilling all requirements to obtain the license. These programs also require apprenticeships that can last between 1 - 3 years. These careers are experience based making a summer job or internship beneficial to current students.
A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required for most personal and culinary services degree programs and many students will need a minimum GPA and SAT/ACT score depending on the school. In addition to these basic personal and culinary services program qualifications, to serve in some personal and culinary services careers, special certification may be required outside of your degree.
Personal & Culinary Services degree levels vary. You can get anything from a in personal and culinary services to the highest personal and culinary services degree, a . Depending on the personal and culinary services degree you choose, obtaining your diploma can take anwhere from 1 to 4+ years.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
An associate degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to personal and culinary services, with approximately 14.8% of workers getting one. See the the most common levels of education for personal and culinary services workers below.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 30.9% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 21.2% |
| Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 14.2% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 13.1% |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 11.0% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what degree level most of those in personal and culinary services careers have.
The education level required is different depending on the personal and culinary services career you are seeking.
Personal services are always needed in our society. Graduates of this field of study become funeral directors, embalmers, hair stylists, makeup artists, masseuses, chefs, restaurant or hotel managers and any other occupation that involves hospitality or service.
Jobs in personal services tend to grow at a steady rate that is about average when compared to other jobs. Personal services are convenient and necessary, meaning they are in demand even in a bad economy.
Want a job when you graduate with your personal and culinary services degree? Personal & Culinary Services careers are expected to grow 9.2% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to personal and culinary services.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant Cooks | 1,377,200 | 11.8% |
| Food Preparation and Serving Worker Supervisors | 1,024,500 | 9.3% |
| Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists | 697,400 | 13.0% |
| Bartenders | 626,300 | 2.5% |
| Institution and Cafeteria Cooks | 457,400 | 7.7% |
Personal & Culinary Services graduates between 2017-2019 reported earning an average of $18,839 in the 2019-2020 timeframe. Earnings can range from as low as $5,512 to as high as $51,139. As you might expect, salaries for personal and culinary services graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for personal and culinary services graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers personal and culinary services grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Funeral Service Managers | $93,820 |
| Professors | $76,990 |
| Food Scientists and Technologists | $72,570 |
| Makeup Artists | $72,030 |
| Food Service Managers | $58,960 |
With over 6,716 different personal and culinary services degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased personal and culinary services school rankings to help you with this.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Cosmetology | 107,895 |
| Culinary Arts | 19,806 |
| Funeral & Mortuary Science | 2,354 |
| Casino Operations and Services | 192 |
| Other Personal & Culinary Services | 81 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Mechanic & Repair Technologies | 96,336 |
| Precision Production | 52,913 |
| Construction Trades | 35,794 |
| Transportation & Materials Moving | 29,084 |
Image Credit: By U.S. Army Europe Images under License More about our data sources and methodologies.
