Certificate (under 1 year)+4% vs national median523 grads tracked
Culinary, Entertainment, and Personal Services at Houston Community College
Ranked 35th of 97 certificate (under 1 year) programs in Culinary, Entertainment, and Personal Services by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$26,473
middle 50%: $19,254 – $36,829
Median · 5 years out
$36,924
middle 50%: $25,941 – $47,990
Median · 10 years out
$42,263
middle 50%: $29,263 – $56,681
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Culinary, Entertainment, and Personal Services (certificate (under 1 year)) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Culinary and Personal Services certificate holders earn a median of $26k in year one. This figure grows to $37k by year five and $42k by year ten.
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
12.1 yrs
≈ $14,733 total interest
Same major at other universities
Joliet Junior College
$37,841 · 5 yrs out
City Colleges of Chicago - Kennedy-King College
$37,801 · 5 yrs out
College of the Mainland
$37,722 · 5 yrs out
Alvin Community College
$37,592 · 5 yrs out
Midland College
$37,592 · 5 yrs out
Pickens Technical College
$37,012 · 5 yrs out
Saint Augustine College
$36,533 · 5 yrs out
Kirkwood Community College
$36,308 · 5 yrs out
Lane Community College
$36,215 · 5 yrs out
Lone Star College System
$36,097 · 5 yrs out
Greenville Technical College
$35,528 · 5 yrs out
Lee College
$35,466 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Houston Community College
Fire Protection (Associate)
$124,854 · 5 yrs out
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services (Associate)
$99,334 · 5 yrs out
Physical Science Technologies/Technicians (Associate)
$97,476 · 5 yrs out
Science Technologies/Technicians (Associate)
$94,228 · 5 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate)
$93,807 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Associate)
$87,244 · 5 yrs out
Engineering Science (Associate)
$87,244 · 5 yrs out
Physical Science Technologies/Technicians (Certificate)
$85,242 · 5 yrs out
Computer Programming (Associate)
$84,025 · 5 yrs out
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Certificate)
$82,991 · 5 yrs out
Fire Protection (Certificate)
$82,328 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Associate)
$80,200 · 5 yrs out