2023 Best Culinary Arts Schools in California
Finding the Best Culinary Arts School for You
Culinary Arts is the #141 most popular major in California with 408 degrees and certificates awarded in 2020-2021.
There are so many programs in today's world that it can tough to figure out which one is the right one for you. Along with traditional schools that require in-person attendence, you can attend one of many reputable online schools. Some programs even offer a hybrid experience. Alternatively, you may choose a trade school that prepares you to enter the workforce with knowledge in a specific field.
The Best Culinary Arts Schools in California ranking is one of many tools that Course Advisor has developed to help you make your educational decision. This report analyzed 7 schools in California to see which ones offered the best programs for students.
View our full ranking methodology.
2023 Best Culinary Arts Schools in California
The following schools top our list of the Best Culinary Arts Colleges.
Top California Schools in Culinary Arts
Our analysis found Institute of Culinary Education - Los Angeles to be the best school for culinary arts students who want to pursue a degree in California. Located in the midsize city of Pasadena, Institute of Culinary Education - Los Angeles is a private for-profit college with a small student population.
On average, culinary arts graduates from Institute of Culinary Education - Los Angeles take out $6,811 in student loans while working on their degree. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $344.
Full Culinary Arts at Institute of Culinary Education - Los Angeles Report
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Out of the 7 schools in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Cerritos College landed the # 2 spot on the list. Located in the large suburb of Norwalk, Cerritos College is a public college with a fairly large student population.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend CET, San Jose. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Culinary Arts Schools in California list. Located in the large city of San Jose, CET, San Jose is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly small student population.
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A rank of #4 on this year’s list means University of Antelope Valley is a great place for culinary arts students. Located in the large suburb of Lancaster, UAV is a private for-profit college with a fairly small student population.
After completing their degree, culinary arts graduates from UAV carry an average student debtload of $9,220.
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A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Riverside City College is a great place for culinary arts students. Riverside City College is a large public school located in the city of Riverside.
Full Culinary Arts at Riverside City College Report
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Institute of Technology did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for culinary arts students. It came in at #6 on the list. Located in the large suburb of Clovis, Fresno Institute of Technology is a private for-profit college with a small student population.
Culinary Arts majors at Fresno Institute of Technology take out an average of $13,440 in student loans while working on their egree.
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Los Angeles Trade Technical College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for culinary arts students. It came in at #7 on the list. Located in the city of Los Angeles, Los Angeles Trade Technical College is a public college with a medium-sized student population.
After completing their degree, culinary arts graduates from Los Angeles Trade Technical College carry an average student debtload of $7,633.
Full Culinary Arts at Los Angeles Trade Technical College Report
Request InformationBest Culinary Arts Colleges in the Far Western US Region
Explore all the Best Culinary Arts Colleges in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Washington | 158 |
| Oregon | 66 |
| Nevada | 61 |
| Hawaii | 111 |
| Alaska | 10 |
More Culinary Arts Rankings in California
Rankings in Majors Related to Culinary Arts
One of 4 majors within the area of study, culinary arts has other similar majors worth exploring.
Most Popular Majors Related to Culinary Arts
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Cosmetology | 107,895 |
| Funeral & Mortuary Science | 2,354 |
| Casino Operations and Services | 192 |
| Other Personal & Culinary Services | 81 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 7 schools only.
- Read more about our ranking methodology.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Credit for the banner image above goes to U.S. Army Europe Images.
More about our data sources and methodologies.