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2023 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools

Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices

191 Colleges
$5,796 Avg Tuition & Fees*
$24,855 Avg Salary

Finding the Best Culinary Arts School for You

Culinary Arts is the #100 most popular major in the country with 19,806 degrees and certificates awarded in 2020-2021.

There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which program is right for you. You can choose a traditional brick and mortar school, or with the growth of online education, you can attend a school half-way across the country without even leaving your house. Also there are many trade schools that offer short-term programs that open up more career options.

Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Course Advisor has created the Best Value Culinary Arts Schools to help you in your search for the best school for you. Our analysis looked at 191 schools in the United States to see which programs offered the best value experiences for culinary arts students with the aim of identifying those quality schools that are more affordable than some of their counterparts.

When determining this ranking, we place a high emphasis on the school's quality as well as its sticker price. Even though a college may be affordable, it may not offer value. More specifically, we discount our quality score by the published tuition and fees charged by a school. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The value is determined by how much quality your dollar buys.

Our calculations use out-of-state tuition and fees in our nationwide and regional rankings. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.

2023 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools in the United States

Check out the culinary arts programs at these schools if you want to get the best value for your educational dollar.

Top 25 Best Schools for Affordable Quality in Culinary Arts

#1

Johnson County Community College

Overland Park, KS

Our analysis found Johnson County Community College to be the best value school for culinary arts students who want to pursue a degree in the United States. JCCC is a fairly large public school located in the city of Overland Park.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at JCCC are $5,352 a year. The average amount in student loans that culinary arts majors at JCCC take out is $11,625.

JCCC also claimed a spot on our Best Culinary Arts Schools list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category.

Read More…

#2

Lee College

Baytown, TX

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Lee College. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Value Culinary Arts Schools list. Lee College is a medium-sized public school located in the city of Baytown.

Lee College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,302 in tuition and fees each year.

Lee College excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Culinary Arts Schools list.

Full Culinary Arts at Lee College Report

#3

El Centro College

Dallas, TX

The excellent programs at El Centro College helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best culinary arts schools in the United States. El Centro College is a very large public school located in the large city of Dallas.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at El Centro College are $6,000 per year. On average, culinary arts graduates from El Centro College take out $12,971 in student loans while working on their degree.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, El Centro College also is in the top 10% of our Best Culinary Arts Schools ranking.

Read More…

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Chippewa Valley Technical College. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Value Culinary Arts Schools list. CVTC is a moderately-sized public school located in the small city of Eau Claire.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at CVTC are $6,683 a year.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, CVTC also is in the top 15% of our Best Culinary Arts Schools ranking.

Read full report on Culinary Arts at Chippewa Valley Technical College

#5

Saint Paul College

Saint Paul, MN
$6,041 Average Tuition & Fees

A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Saint Paul College is a great value for culinary arts students. Located in the large city of Saint Paul, Saint Paul College is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.

Saint Paul College undergraduate students pay an average of $6,041 in tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that culinary arts majors at Saint Paul College take out is $19,381.

Read full report on Culinary Arts at Saint Paul College

$3,780 Average Tuition & Fees

With a ranking of #6, Southeast Community College Area did quite well on this year’s best value schools for culinary arts students. Southeast Community College is a medium-sized public school located in the large city of Lincoln.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Southeast Community College are $3,780 per year. The average amount in student loans that culinary arts majors at Southeast Community College take out is $16,400.

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$5,740 Average Tuition & Fees

With a ranking of #7, Clover Park Technical College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for culinary arts students. CPTC is a small public school located in the small city of Lakewood.

CPTC undergraduate students pay an average of $5,740 in tuition and fees each year.

Full Culinary Arts at Clover Park Technical College Report

Madison Area Technical College landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value culinary arts programs. Madison College is a large public school located in the city of Madison.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Madison College are $6,769 per year. On average, culinary arts graduates from Madison College take out $12,588 in student loans while working on their degree.

Madison College also claimed a spot on our Best Culinary Arts Schools list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools in this category.

Read full report on Culinary Arts at Madison Area Technical College

$5,462 Average Tuition & Fees

Athens Technical College landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value culinary arts programs. Located in the city of Athens, Athens Technical College is a public college with a small student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Athens Technical College are $5,462 per year.

Read full report on Culinary Arts at Athens Technical College

$6,603 Average Tuition & Fees

Waukesha County Technical College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for culinary arts students. It came in at #10 on the list. WCTC is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Pewaukee.

WCTC undergraduate students pay an average of $6,603 in tuition and fees each year.

Read full report on Culinary Arts at Waukesha County Technical College

#11

Gwinnett Technical College

Lawrenceville, GA
$5,636 Average Tuition & Fees

Gwinnett Technical College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for culinary arts students. It came in at #11 on the list. GTC is a medium-sized public school located in the large suburb of Lawrenceville.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at GTC are $5,636 a year.

Read full report on Culinary Arts at Gwinnett Technical College

$6,803 Average Tuition & Fees

With a ranking of #12, Gateway Technical College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for culinary arts students. Located in the suburb of Kenosha, Gateway Technical College is a public college with a medium-sized student population.

Gateway Technical College undergraduate students pay an average of $6,803 in tuition and fees each year.

Read More…

#13

South Plains College

Levelland, TX
$4,276 Average Tuition & Fees

With a ranking of #13, South Plains College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for culinary arts students. South Plains College is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Levelland.

South Plains College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,276 in tuition and fees each year.

Full Culinary Arts at South Plains College Report

$5,452 Average Tuition & Fees

West Georgia Technical College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for culinary arts students. It came in at #14 on the list. Located in the rural area of Waco, West Georgia Technical College is a public college with a medium-sized student population.

West Georgia Technical College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,452 in tuition and fees each year.

Read full report on Culinary Arts at West Georgia Technical College

$6,510 Average Tuition & Fees

Kansas City Kansas Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for culinary arts students. It came in at #15 on the list. Kansas City Kansas Community College is a small public school located in the midsize city of Kansas City.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Kansas City Kansas Community College are $6,510 a year.

Full Culinary Arts at Kansas City Kansas Community College Report

#16

Central Georgia Technical College

Warner Robins, GA
$5,442 Average Tuition & Fees

Central Georgia Technical College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for culinary arts students. It came in at #16 on the list. Located in the small city of Warner Robins, CGTC is a public school with a medium-sized student population.

CGTC undergraduate students pay an average of $5,442 in tuition and fees each year.

Full Culinary Arts at Central Georgia Technical College Report

$8,414 Average Tuition & Fees

With a ranking of #17, University of Hawaii Maui College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for culinary arts students. UH Maui College is a small public school located in the city of Kahului.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at UH Maui College are $8,414 a year.

Read full report on Culinary Arts at University of Hawaii Maui College

$4,320 Average Tuition & Fees

With a ranking of #18, Arkansas State University - Newport did quite well on this year’s best value schools for culinary arts students. ASUN is a small public school located in the rural area of Newport.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at ASUN are $4,320 per year.

Full Culinary Arts at Arkansas State University - Newport Report

$5,462 Average Tuition & Fees

Georgia Northwestern Technical College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Culinary Arts Schools ranking. Located in the small city of Rome, Georgia Northwestern Technical College is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.

Georgia Northwestern Technical College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,462 in tuition and fees each year.

Full Culinary Arts at Georgia Northwestern Technical College Report

#20

Oakland Community College

Bloomfield Hills, MI
$5,200 Average Tuition & Fees

Oakland Community College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Culinary Arts Schools ranking. Oakland Community College is a fairly large public school located in the large suburb of Bloomfield Hills.

Oakland Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,200 in tuition and fees each year.

Read full report on Culinary Arts at Oakland Community College

$5,552 Average Tuition & Fees

Wiregrass Georgia Technical College landed the #21 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value culinary arts programs. Located in the small suburb of Valdosta, Wiregrass Georgia Technical College is a public college with a small student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Wiregrass Georgia Technical College are $5,552 a year.

Read More…

$8,830 Average Tuition & Fees

Pickens Technical College ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Culinary Arts Schools list. Pickens Technical College is a small public school located in the large city of Aurora.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Pickens Technical College are $8,830 a year.

Full Culinary Arts at Pickens Technical College Report

$5,526 Average Tuition & Fees

Southern Crescent Technical College ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Culinary Arts Schools list. Southern Crescent Technical College is a small public school located in the suburb of Griffin.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Southern Crescent Technical College are $5,526 a year.

Read full report on Culinary Arts at Southern Crescent Technical College

Fox Valley Technical College ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Culinary Arts Schools list. Located in the medium-sized suburb of Appleton, FVTC is a public school with a fairly large student population.

FVTC undergraduate students pay an average of $6,861 in tuition and fees each year.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, FVTC also is in the top 10% of our Best Culinary Arts Schools ranking.

Read full report on Culinary Arts at Fox Valley Technical College

#25

Delgado Community College

New Orleans, LA
$4,079 Average Tuition & Fees

Delgado Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for culinary arts students. It came in at #25 on the list. Delgado Community College is a large public school located in the large city of New Orleans.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Delgado Community College are $4,079 a year.

Read full report on Culinary Arts at Delgado Community College

Rest of the Top Best Value Culinary Arts Schools

#26

Cerritos College

Norwalk, CA
#27

Schoolcraft College

Livonia, MI
#28

Southern Maine Community College

South Portland, ME

Additional Noteworthy Schools

Here are some additional great value schools for Culinary Arts students seeking value that almost earned our Best Value Culinary Arts Schools award.

Rank College Location
29 Wake Technical Community College Raleigh, NC
30 San Jacinto Community College Pasadena, TX
31 Ogeechee Technical College Statesboro, GA
32 Augusta Technical College Augusta, GA
33 Lanier Technical College Oakwood, GA
34 Grayson College Denison, TX
35 Cincinnati State Technical and Community College Cincinnati, OH
36 Des Moines Area Community College Ankeny, IA
37 Kapiolani Community College Honolulu, HI
38 Kirkwood Community College Cedar Rapids, IA
38 Del Mar College Corpus Christi, TX

Culinary Arts by Region

View the Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for a specific region near you.

Region
Southeast
New England
Rocky Mountains
Plains States
Middle Atlantic
Far Western US
Southwest
Great Lakes

Culinary Arts is one of 4 different types of programs to choose from.

Majors Similar 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 25 schools only.

  • 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.

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