How much do Culinary Arts and Related Services associate's degree graduates from Kirkwood Community College earn?

The reported median is $42,218 four years after completion.

How much federal debt do graduates of this program have?

The reported median federal debt among borrowers is $15,375.

Is this program above or below similar programs?

Reported year-four earnings are 7% above the national median for the same field and degree level.

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COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES

Culinary Arts and Related Services associate's degree at Kirkwood Community College

Cedar Rapids, IA · Public

What this page covers

Federal data group related majors at the same college and degree level. One record can include several named programs or concentrations.

The short version

Reported earnings are close to similar programs.

$2,613 above the national median for the same field and degree level.

Debt as a share of earnings: 36.4% of annual earnings
Highest price with a positive payoff: Not reached
Modeled 10-year payoff: −125% · Negative payoff
Available price data: College-wide context only

PRICE SENSITIVITY

The price can change the verdict.

Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.

← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →

$0Annual price−$117,820

$8,000Annual price−$133,820

$10,000Current college-wide context−$137,820

$16,000Annual price−$149,820

$24,000Annual price−$165,820

$32,000Annual price−$181,820

$40,000Annual price−$197,820

OUTCOME SIGNALS

Graduate outcomes from several angles.

Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.

+90%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$21,391 → $40,714

Not availableEarn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort

27Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort

33Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median

22Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median

Not availableAwarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credential

Not availableRecent awardsIPEDS 2024–25 first-major completions in this field and credential

NEW FEDERAL PROGRAM CONTEXT

Size, aid and an earnings floor.

The Department of Education’s 2026 informational preview adds current program participation and a preliminary earnings comparison. It does not make a final eligibility determination.

108Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment

15Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers

71Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count

61Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count

18.1%Federal-aid non-completion rate2022–23 program cohort · 15 non-completers

36Graduates not recorded as employedHistorical federal cohort, three years after completion

Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$36,082Informational preview, not a final accountability result

Observed year-4 earnings$42,218$6,136 above the preliminary benchmark

Source: U.S. Department of Education PPD:2026 informational preview. Program categories use OPEID, four-digit field and credential level; federal-aid counts do not represent every enrolled student. Completion and employment measures use older cohorts shown above and are not combined into the payoff estimate.

01 · PRICE CONTEXT$9,705

Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.

02 · BORROWING$15,375

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$42,218

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$163/mo

Estimated standard 10-year federal payment.

ADDITIONAL WORKFORCE PROGRAM REPORTS

1 related offering reported to the Department of Labor

These provider-reported records add named prices, completion and employment context where available. They describe a separate workforce-program cohort and may include non-degree training, so they are not blended into the College Scorecard earnings or DegreeVerdict ROI.

Culinary Arts Associate of Applied Science Degree · CIP 12.0503

Culinary Arts

Reported price: $20,338
Completion: 52.0%
Employed in Q2: 80.0%
Q2 quarterly earnings: $7,671

This program provides in-person instruction only.

Program year 2022. Quarterly earnings are not annual salary. Suppressed values appear as “Not reported.” Source: U.S. Department of Labor TrainingProviderResults.gov. Showing 1 of 1 related records.

WHAT WILL IT COST?

Published college costs provide the starting point.

Your exact offering, aid, residency and time to finish determine the price you actually pay.

Enter my price →

AVERAGE NET PRICE$9,705Institution-wide annual figure

COST OF ATTENDANCE$15,579Institution-wide annual budget

ADMISSION RATENot availableInstitution context

COMPLETION RATE43.0%Institution-wide completion rate

WHAT DO GRADUATES EARN?

Reported earnings after completion.

Each point may represent a different federal cohort. A missing bar means the figure was unavailable or suppressed.

$21,391Year 1

$42,218Year 4

$40,714Year 5

CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

4.6% of gross monthly earnings

Estimated monthly payment divided by observed gross monthly earnings. This excludes taxes, other debts and income-driven repayment.

Gross monthly earnings$3,518

Estimated loan payment$163

22borrowers represented where reported

HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$42,218 vs. $39,605

$2,613 above the national median for the same field and credential.

Same-field national median

WHAT WORK CAN IT LEAD TO?

Related occupations, wages and outlook.

Official CIP–SOC links show careers the curriculum may prepare students for, not observed jobs held by this school’s graduates. BLS wages describe everyone working in an occupation.

BLS May 2025 wage estimates and 2025–35 employment projections.

Chefs and Head Cooks$47,990 median wageIA estimate · 1,640 jobs · 35-1011$42,620–$59,380 middle 50% of IA wages+6.6% projected U.S. growth · 25,200 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalentFirst-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$38,760 median wageIA estimate · 11,400 jobs · 35-1012$35,160–$47,280 middle 50% of IA wages+5.4% projected U.S. growth · 171,500 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalentCooks, All Other$26,060 median wageIA estimate · 210 jobs · 35-2019$25,180–$34,040 middle 50% of IA wages+5.2% projected U.S. growth · 2,800 openings/yrTypical entry: No formal educational credentialFood Service Managers$66,700 median wageIA estimate · 1,760 jobs · 11-9051$52,850–$77,860 middle 50% of IA wages+5.8% projected U.S. growth · 38,800 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalentCooks, Private Household$47,940 median wageU.S. estimate · 1,100 jobs · 35-2013+5.1% projected U.S. growth · 5,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Postsecondary nondegree awardCooks, Institution and Cafeteria$35,810 median wageIA estimate · 8,860 jobs · 35-2012$30,970–$37,920 middle 50% of IA wages+2.8% projected U.S. growth · 62,900 openings/yrTypical entry: No formal educational credentialCooks, Restaurant$35,670 median wageIA estimate · 12,270 jobs · 35-2014$30,360–$38,180 middle 50% of IA wages+12.1% projected U.S. growth · 218,600 openings/yrTypical entry: No formal educational credentialFood Scientists and Technologists$82,010 median wageIA estimate · 380 jobs · 19-1012$65,170–$103,940 middle 50% of IA wages+6.2% projected U.S. growth · 1,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreePostsecondary Teachers, All Other$71,680 median wageIA estimate · 1,480 jobs · 25-1199$48,620–$88,360 middle 50% of IA wages+2.0% projected U.S. growth · 12,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeSlaughterers and Meat Packers$43,820 median wageIA estimate · 4,220 jobs · 51-3023$39,730–$44,680 middle 50% of IA wages+2.0% projected U.S. growth · 7,700 openings/yrTypical entry: No formal educational credentialButchers and Meat Cutters$37,750 median wageIA estimate · 4,480 jobs · 51-3021$34,630–$43,180 middle 50% of IA wages+2.4% projected U.S. growth · 15,100 openings/yrTypical entry: No formal educational credentialBakers$37,210 median wageIA estimate · 2,150 jobs · 51-3011$28,920–$42,850 middle 50% of IA wages+5.5% projected U.S. growth · 36,500 openings/yrTypical entry: No formal educational credential

Possible alternatives