Culinary Arts at University of North Alabama

Florence, AL · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Culinary Arts and Related Services
47 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
47
Optimistic
47
Base Case
47
Pessimistic
Earnings $33,884/yr (18% vs median)
AI Risk Low (20% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (789,200 openings/yr)
ROI 9.4x earnings multiple (5.1x out-of-state)
Ranked #2 of 12 Culinary Arts and Related Services programs Top 25%

Program Analysis

While many culinary programs focus strictly on the kitchen, UNA's program has a strong undercurrent of food science and management. This is the key to understanding your potential career path. Florence isn’t a massive culinary hub, so graduates often leverage this broader education for roles in corporate food service, product development, or institutional management across the Southeast. Think less about becoming a celebrity chef in a major city and more about managing the dining operations for a large university, developing new products for a regional food brand, or ensuring quality control in a large-scale production facility. Your most important step will be securing internships that align with this business and science side of the food industry, as that experience, not just your cooking skill, will unlock the higher-paying management and technical roles right after graduation.

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Culinary Arts graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption
Base Case
Gradual AI
Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $449K $449K $426K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 9.4x 9.4x 8.9x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 5.1x 5.1x 4.8x
Probability of Field Employment 42% 42% 36%
DegreeOutlook Score 47 47 47

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$47,960
Out-of-state: $88,760 (5.1x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$44,096
8% less than sticker · See by income

About University of North Alabama

A 96% acceptance rate means University of North Alabama is accessible to most applicants, with a mid-sized student body of 5,468 in Florence, AL.

See all programs and financial aid at University of North Alabama →

Top Career Paths

Food scientists and technologists $85,310/yr
Postsecondary teachers, all other $78,490/yr
Food service managers $65,310/yr
View all 13 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Culinary Arts at Other Schools

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Consider the Trade Route?

Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a 47/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Culinary Arts at University of North Alabama?
At 47/100, the financial outlook is modest. Higher-scoring Culinary Arts programs exist, though non-financial factors may justify this choice.
Is University of North Alabama one of the best schools for Culinary Arts?
Among 12 Culinary Arts programs, University of North Alabama's #2 position reflects consistently above-average results across earnings, ROI, and employment probability.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →