How to Become a Culinary Professional in Arizona (2026)

Q: How much do culinary professionals earn in Arizona?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), culinary professionals in Arizona earned a median annual wage of approximately $38,670.

Q: What is the job outlook for culinary professionals in Arizona?

Arizona currently employs approximately 30,870 workers, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 14.9% national employment change for this occupation from 2024 to 2034.

Updated June 8, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Arizona employs about 30,870 culinary professionals earning a median $38,670 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Most culinary professionals train through an approved program before entering the field in Arizona.

Compare Culinary Professional Schools in Arizona

BOC Score, tuition, graduation rate, and median graduate earnings from federal IPEDS and U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard data. Earnings are reported across all programs at the school (all majors), not a single trade. Distance is measured from the page's primary location.
#	School	BOC Score (0–100)	Tuition	Median grad earnings (all majors)	Graduation rate	Online	Distance
1	Arizona Culinary Institute	59.4	Contact school for pricing	$42,087	Not reported	—	74 mi
2	Yavapai College	57.1	$2,948 - $14,988	$57,288	33%	Yes*	149 mi
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3	Scottsdale Community College	54.7	$2,358 - $19,281	$53,858	17%	Yes*	72 mi
4	Pima Community College	53.7	Contact school for pricing	$50,345	25%	Yes*	33 mi
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5	Eastern Arizona College	52.8	Contact school for pricing	$41,991	42%	Yes*	82 mi
6	Phoenix College	52.7	Contact school for pricing	$58,195	14%	Yes*	78 mi
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7	Central Arizona College	51.4	Contact school for pricing	$48,765	25%	Yes*	35 mi
8	Estrella Mountain Community College	51.2	$2,358 - $18,040	$50,342	29%	Yes*	89 mi
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9	Arizona Western College	51.2	Contact school for pricing	$48,286	22%	Yes*	194 mi
10	Tohono O'odham Community College	49.1	Contact school for pricing	Not reported	16%	Yes*	68 mi
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Schools closest to the page's primary location are gathered first, then ranked by BOC Score; distance from the page's primary location is shown for reference. The BOC Score is an independent measure of school outcomes (graduation, earnings, net price, retention) expressed as a 0–100 percentile within each school's peer group; higher is better and advertising never affects it. *Online availability refers to coursework; hands-on trade training is completed in person. Read the full methodology.

Arizona employs approximately 30,870 culinary professionals according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $38,670 ¹. Nationally, culinary professional employment is projected to grow 14.9% from 2024 to 2034, with about 250,700 openings per year ². This page covers how to become a Culinary Professional in Arizona, including requirements, training programs, and salary data.

At a Glance

Training paths: trade school or community college
Typical timeline: varies by program; confirm with the school
Median wage (Arizona): $38,670 per year ¹

Quick Answers About How to Become a Culinary Professional in Arizona

How to become a Culinary Professional in Arizona? Complete a training program or apprenticeship, gain work experience, and meet any state or employer requirements for culinary professionals in Arizona.

How long does it take? culinary professional training length in Arizona varies by program. Confirm current requirements with the school and the state board before you enroll.

What do culinary professionals earn in Arizona? The median annual wage for culinary professionals in Arizona is $38,670 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $33,250 and experienced professionals can earn $46,240 or more ¹.

How to Become a Culinary Professional in Arizona

Finish high school or earn a GED. Most Arizona training programs require a high school diploma or GED to enroll.
Complete an approved training program. Enroll in an approved culinary professional program in Arizona that combines classroom instruction with supervised practice.
Gain supervised work experience. Build documented on-the-job hours under a qualified supervisor; confirm the exact total currently required with the licensing board.
Meet state and employer requirements. Confirm any registration, certification, or employer requirements that apply to culinary professionals in Arizona before you start working.

Steps and hour totals vary by credential level; confirm current requirements with the state board before you apply.

Culinary Professional Wages by Metro Area in Arizona

Chefs and Head Cooks Wages by Metro Area in Arizona

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), chefs and head cooks wages in Arizona vary by metro area.

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage	Avg. Annual Wage	Entry Level (10th pctile)	Experienced (90th pctile)
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler	27,620	$41,333	$43,045	$34,851	$51,989
Tucson	4,920	$38,982	$40,527	$31,788	$50,028
Flagstaff	1,520	$40,778	$42,297	$34,822	$50,833
Prescott Valley-Prescott	1,340	$39,309	$40,803	$32,100	$49,933
Lake Havasu City-Kingman	890	$36,869	$38,258	$30,831	$46,690
Yuma	730	$37,406	$38,722	$30,907	$48,237
Sierra Vista-Douglas	370	$35,613	$36,765	$31,364	$44,993

Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the job outlook for culinary professionals in Arizona? Arizona currently employs approximately 30,870 culinary professionals ¹. Nationally, culinary professional employment is projected to grow 14.9% from 2024 to 2034 ².

What training programs are available in Arizona? Options include trade schools, community colleges, and state-approved training programs. Use the school finder above to search for programs in Arizona.

How much do culinary professionals earn in Arizona compared to the national average? The median annual wage for culinary professionals in Arizona is $38,670, which is $1,840 above the national median of $36,830 according to BLS data ¹.

In Arizona

Best Trade Schools in Arizona (2026)

Top local programs

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Citations

About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics - Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/oes/ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎
Bureau of Labor Statistics - Employment Projections: https://www.bls.gov/emp/ ↩︎ ↩︎

Data sources

Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.

Data	Provider	Vintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	May 2025
Employment Projections	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	2024-2034
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System	National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)	2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirements	CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)	latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programs	CareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor)	latest release (updated 2025-10-25)
O*NET occupation profiles (skills, tasks, tools, job zones)	U.S. Department of Labor (O*NET / Employment & Training Admin.)	O*NET 29.1 (updated 2026-06-13)