Culinary Arts and Related Services at Ozarks Technical Community College
MO · Associate's Degree · CIP 12.05
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Culinary Arts and Related Services degree from Ozarks Technical Community College earn a median salary of $36,655 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in MO, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $41,093. The degree typically pays for itself in 21.7 years.
Quick Insights
How this degree looks at a glance
A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where graduates from this school usually land.
Salary Ranges
Starting Range
$27,941
Typical Career
$36,655
Top Performers
$46,826
Estimated break-even: 21.7 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$244
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,055. Most students can comfortably afford about a $244 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 0.9x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.5x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Missouri buys what costs $0.89 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Educational Services, Retail Trade.
Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work
Institution-wide industry mix for graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.
5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent
$41,093
Nominal: $36,655 in Missouri (COL 89.2% of national avg) · 12.1% higher purchasing power
10-Year Earnings Curve
Break-Even Timeline
How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).
Total Investment
$155,168
4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost
HS Graduate Baseline
$38,792/yr
BLS 2023 median, HS diploma
View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
| Timeframe | 25th Pct. | Median (50th) | 75th Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Year After Graduation | $22,830 | $28,507 | $36,853 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $27,941 | $36,655 | $46,826 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $32,172 | $51,737 | $65,634 |
Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).
How We Calculate Purchasing Power
The median salary of $36,655 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in MO, which has a cost-of-living index of 89.2% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $36,655 × (1.0 ÷ 0.8920)
= $41,093 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The primary industries that graduates enter are predominantly within Health Care & Social Assistance, with significant percentages of 63.8%, 40.8%, and 26.5% respectively. This trend indicates a strong alignment between the program and the growing demand in these sectors. However, the estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 21.7 years, suggesting that while there is potential for increased earnings, the return on investment may take considerable time to realize. Students should weigh these factors carefully when considering their career options in culinary arts.
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Other Degrees at Ozarks Technical Community College
Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.