WhatGradsMake
Certificate (1-2 years)-17% vs national median129 grads tracked

Culinary, Entertainment, and Personal Services at Rend Lake College

Ranked 78th of 87 certificate (1-2 years) programs in Culinary, Entertainment, and Personal Services by 5-year earnings.

Median · 1 year out
$22,786
middle 50%: $17,788 – $27,168
Median · 5 years out
$28,901
middle 50%: $23,431 – $38,738
Median · 10 years out
$32,032
middle 50%: $24,474 – $48,487

Salary trajectory

Median earnings vs the national median for Culinary, Entertainment, and Personal Services (certificate (1-2 years)) graduates.

This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates

Graduates of Rend Lake College's certificate (1-2 years) program in Culinary, Entertainment, and Personal Services earn a median $22,786 one year after graduating, rising to $32,032 by year ten. Five years out, earnings run 17% below the national median of $34,615 for this field, ranking 78th of 87 reporting programs.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau PSEO, release V4.13.0 2025Q4. Earnings are for graduates working in covered states; figures are medians in nominal dollars.

Will the degree pay for itself?

Drag the sliders — payback uses this program's actual salary curve.

Assumes a 6.5% APR loan and this program's median salary trajectory (interpolated between years 1, 5 and 10).

Paid off in
17.3 yrs
≈ $21,348 total interest

Same major at other universities

SOWELA Technical Community College
$29,886 · 5 yrs out
Ridgewater College
$29,807 · 5 yrs out
Denmark Technical College
$29,726 · 5 yrs out
Northwest Louisiana Technical Community College
$29,557 · 5 yrs out
Lake Land College
$29,319 · 5 yrs out
Lamar Community College
$28,969 · 5 yrs out
Trinidad State College
$28,407 · 5 yrs out
Minnesota State Community and Technical College
$28,276 · 5 yrs out
John A. Logan College
$27,557 · 5 yrs out
Colorado Mesa University
$27,237 · 5 yrs out
Colorado Northwestern Community College
$27,237 · 5 yrs out
Northeast Texas Community College
$26,921 · 5 yrs out

Other majors at Rend Lake College

Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians (Certificate)
$86,981 · 5 yrs out
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians (Certificate)
$86,768 · 5 yrs out
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians (Associate)
$78,993 · 5 yrs out
Agricultural Production Operations (Certificate)
$73,728 · 5 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate)
$72,395 · 5 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Certificate)
$65,897 · 5 yrs out
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Certificate)
$64,930 · 5 yrs out
Precision Production (Associate)
$62,446 · 5 yrs out
Precision Metal Working (Associate)
$62,446 · 5 yrs out
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Certificate)
$60,696 · 5 yrs out
Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians (Associate)
$60,533 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Certificate)
$59,934 · 5 yrs out

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