Culinary Arts and Related Services graduates from Grand Rapids Community College earn $40,542 median salary — above the national average for this program. Median debt: $7,705.
Culinary Arts and Related Services at Grand Rapids Community College
Grand Rapids, Michigan • Certificate
What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Culinary Arts and Related Services at Grand Rapids Community College
This page combines two federal data products: IPEDS institutional characteristics for Grand Rapids Community College and the College Scorecard field-of-study (FOS) file for Culinary Arts and Related Services at the certificate credential level. The FOS file is keyed by CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) code, which means earnings and debt figures here reflect only graduates of this specific program — not the school as a whole. IPEDS reports 26 completers in the most recent cohort for this program at Grand Rapids Community College, the denominator behind the median earnings figure.
Median graduate earnings of $40,542 represent Treasury-verified wages approximately one year after program completion, drawn from Social Security Administration records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Compared to the national mean of $28,927 across all institutions offering Culinary Arts and Related Services, graduates here earn above the national average for this program. Across all programs at Grand Rapids Community College, the mean median-earnings figure is $48,607, providing internal context for whether this specific field out-earns other options at the same institution.
Debt signals complete the ROI picture. The median cumulative federal loan debt for Culinary Arts and Related Services graduates at Grand Rapids Community College is $7,705, which translates to roughly $64 per month on a standard 10-year repayment plan. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.19 is under the 1.0 threshold the College Scorecard uses to flag favorable gainful-employment outcomes — earnings in year one already exceed cumulative borrowing. Program-level debt and earnings come from the Department of Education’s College Scorecard FOS release, updated annually.
Earnings Comparison
Program Details
Debt & ROI
Culinary Arts and Related Services at Other Schools
| School | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Scottsdale Community College | $52,191 | — |
| Culinary Institute of America | $51,690 | — |
| Miami Dade College | $50,344 | $10,500 |
| Saint Paul College | $47,176 | — |
| Institute of Culinary Education | $46,893 | $6,439 |
| Institute of Culinary Education | $46,893 | $6,439 |
| Arizona Culinary Institute | $44,800 | $9,500 |
| Dallas College | $44,490 | $7,000 |
| Madison Area Technical College | $44,206 | — |
| Brookdale Community College | $44,037 | — |
Other Programs at Grand Rapids Community College
| Program | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | $76,216 | $5,500 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $74,096 | $14,277 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $67,559 | $9,000 |
| Computer Programming | $66,293 | — |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $64,550 | $11,600 |
| Precision Metal Working | $63,350 | — |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $54,001 | — |
| Dental Support Services and Allied Professions | $52,414 | $14,957 |
| Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants | $51,480 | $9,407 |
| Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians | $51,318 | $6,460 |
Other Schools with Culinary Arts and Related Services
Quick picks offering the same program — compare side by side
About the Data
Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard Field of Study file. Earnings are median earnings for graduates after completion, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Institutional characteristics come from IPEDS. Debt figures represent the median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation.
Debt-to-earnings ratio compares cumulative debt to annual earnings. A ratio below 1.0 indicates that annual earnings exceed total debt, generally considered favorable. Estimated monthly payments assume a standard 10-year repayment plan.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.