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Culinary & Personal Services · Culinary Arts Rank #3 of 12

Culinary Artsat Southern New Hampshire University

Graduates earn $35,959/yr in their first year — about 26.0% above the national Culinary Arts average. Base-case 10-year earnings $482K; scenarios range from $454K to $482K depending on AI disruption.

Manchester, NH Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
46 AVERAGE
47
Optimistic
46
Pessimistic
Earnings
$35,959
1-year post-graduation
ROI
5.8x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$482K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Low
24% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Southern New Hampshire University

While many culinary programs focus purely on knife skills, your SNHU degree is uniquely positioned to lead toward management and business operations. The curriculum's strength isn't just about crafting the perfect dish, but understanding the entire system behind it—from supply chain to profit margins. This business-centric approach explains why graduates often move into higher-paying roles like food service management for large institutions or hotel groups in the New England region, rather than staying on the line. Manchester's proximity to Boston also opens up a major metropolitan market for ambitious graduates. To maximize your investment, lean into the business courses and seek internships that focus on operational challenges, not just kitchen prep. This will fast-track you toward a leadership role with a more stable and lucrative career path.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$454K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score46/100
Earnings Multiple6.9x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$482K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score46/100
Earnings Multiple7.3x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$482K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score47/100
Earnings Multiple7.3x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Southern New Hampshire University's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Culinary Arts graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Food scientists and technologists
+6.5% 10-yr growth · 1,200 openings/yr
$85,310/yr
Moderate
2
Postsecondary teachers, all other
+1.8% 10-yr growth · 13,500 openings/yr
$78,490/yr
Low
3
Food service managers
+6.4% 10-yr growth · 42,000 openings/yr
$65,310/yr
Moderate
4
Chefs and head cooks
+7.1% 10-yr growth · 24,400 openings/yr
$60,990/yr
Low
5
Cooks, private household
+5.1% 10-yr growth · 5,300 openings/yr
$44,530/yr
Low
6
First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers
+6.0% 10-yr growth · 183,900 openings/yr
$42,010/yr
High
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Culinary Arts

How Southern New Hampshire University stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Culinary Institute of America
NY · Private nonprofit
50
DW Score
$44K
1-yr earn
1.9x
ROI
University of North Alabama
AL · Public
47
DW Score
$34K
1-yr earn
6.1x
ROI
Johnson & Wales University-Providence
RI · Private nonprofit
36
DW Score
$33K
1-yr earn
1.4x
ROI
Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte
NC · Private nonprofit
36
DW Score
$33K
1-yr earn
1.4x
ROI
Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science
NY · Private nonprofit
37
DW Score
$32K
1-yr earn
2.3x
ROI
Also at Southern New Hampshire University

Other top programs at Southern New Hampshire University

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Southern New Hampshire University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Culinary Arts offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Culinary Arts trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Culinary Arts at Southern New Hampshire University

What does a 46/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Culinary Arts at Southern New Hampshire University?

At 46/100, the financial outlook is modest. Higher-scoring Culinary Arts programs exist, though non-financial factors may justify this choice.

Is Southern New Hampshire University one of the best schools for Culinary Arts?

Among 12 Culinary Arts programs, Southern New Hampshire University's #3 position reflects consistently above-average results across earnings, ROI, and employment probability.