2023 Most Popular Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools
Finding the Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree 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.
To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Course Advisor has created its Most Popular Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools ranking. Our analysis looked at 426 schools in the United States to see which associate degree programs were the most popular for students. To create this ranking we looked at how many students graduated from the Culinary Arts program at each school on the list.
2023 Most Popular Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the United States
The following schools top our list of the Most Popular Culinary Arts Associate Degree Colleges.
Top 25 Most Popular Schools for an Associate in Culinary Arts
Our analysis found Culinary Institute of America to be the most popular school for culinary arts students who want to pursue a associate degree in the United States. Located in the suburb of Hyde Park, The Culinary Institute of America is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
Of the 665 students majoring in culinary arts at The Culinary Institute of America, 53% are male and 47% are female.
The average amount in student loans that culinary arts majors at The Culinary Institute of America take out while working on their Associate Degree is $14,124. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $450.
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The in-demand associate degree programs at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts - Boulder helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the most popular culinary arts schools in the United States. Escoffier - Boulder is a moderately-sized private for-profit school located in the midsize city of Boulder.
Of the 388 students majoring in culinary arts at Escoffier - Boulder, 47% are male and 53% are female.
On average, culinary arts graduates from Escoffier - Boulder take out $16,632 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.
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Out of the 426 schools in the United States that were part of this year’s ranking, Johnson & Wales University - Providence landed the # 3 spot on the list. Located in the midsize city of Providence, JWU Providence is a private not-for-profit college with a moderately-sized student population.
Of the 293 students majoring in culinary arts at JWU Providence, 30% are male and 70% are female.
After completing their Associate Degree, culinary arts graduates from JWU Providence carry an average student debt load of $17,376. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $314.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts - Austin. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Popular Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools list. Escoffier - Austin is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Austin.
Women make up 50% of the culinary arts majors at the school.
On average, culinary arts graduates from Escoffier - Austin take out $17,367 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $133, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
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Out of the 426 schools in the United States that were part of this year’s ranking, Johnson & Wales University - Charlotte landed the # 5 spot on the list. JWU Charlotte is a small private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Charlotte.
About 70% of the students majoring in culinary arts at the school are women while 30% are male.
On average, culinary arts graduates from JWU Charlotte take out $17,376 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $314.
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ECPI University ranked #6 on this year’s Most Popular Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools list. ECPI University is a large private for-profit school located in the city of Virginia Beach.
Of the 136 students majoring in culinary arts at ECPI University, 45% are male and 55% are female.
The average amount in student loans that culinary arts majors at ECPI University take out while working on their Associate Degree is $20,370. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $135, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
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With a ranking of #7, Sullivan University did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for culinary arts students working on their associate degree. Located in the city of Louisville, Sullivan University is a private for-profit college with a small student population.
Women make up 61% of the culinary arts majors at the school.
After completing their Associate Degree, culinary arts graduates from Sullivan University carry an average student debt load of $17,013. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $473.
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Stratford University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools ranking. Stratford University is a small private for-profit school located in the medium-sized city of Fairfax.
Of the 70 students majoring in culinary arts at Stratford University, 46% are male and 54% are female.
Culinary Arts majors at Stratford University take out an average of $36,398 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.
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Miami Dade College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for culinary arts students to get a associate degree. It came in at #9 on the list. MDC is a fairly large public school located in the city of Miami.
About 55% of the students majoring in culinary arts at the school are women while 45% are male.
On average, culinary arts graduates from MDC take out $18,797 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.
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Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale ranked #10 on this year’s Most Popular Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools list. Located in the midsize city of Fort Lauderdale, Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale is a private not-for-profit school with a large student population.
Women make up 53% of the culinary arts majors at the school.
While working on their Associate Degree, culinary arts majors at Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale accumulate an average of around $25,387 in student debt. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $267.
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The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular associate degree culinary arts programs. The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the large city of Philadelphia.
About 79% of the students majoring in culinary arts at the school are women while 21% are male.
Culinary Arts majors at The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College take out an average of $16,363 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $388, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
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Pikes Peak Community College ranked #12 on this year’s Most Popular Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools list. Located in the large suburb of Colorado Springs, PPCC is a public school with a large student population.
About 86% of the students majoring in culinary arts at the school are women while 14% are male.
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Valencia College ranked #13 on this year’s Most Popular Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools list. Valencia College is a fairly large public school located in the city of Orlando.
Women make up 80% of the culinary arts majors at the school.
After completing their Associate Degree, culinary arts graduates from Valencia College carry an average student debt load of $16,255.
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Culinary Institute Inc came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools ranking. Located in the large city of Houston, Culinary Institute LeNotre is a private for-profit college with a small student population.
About 51% of the students majoring in culinary arts at the school are women while 49% are male.
While working on their Associate Degree, culinary arts majors at Culinary Institute LeNotre accumulate an average of around $26,751 in student debt. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $173.
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Kapiolani Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for culinary arts students to get a associate degree. It came in at #15 on the list. Kapiolani CC is a medium-sized public school located in the city of Honolulu.
Women make up 54% of the culinary arts majors at the school.
The average amount in student loans that culinary arts majors at Kapiolani CC take out while working on their Associate Degree is $11,867.
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Niagara County Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for culinary arts students to get a associate degree. It came in at #16 on the list. Niagara County Community College is a small public school located in the rural area of Sanborn.
Of the 53 students majoring in culinary arts at Niagara County Community College, 36% are male and 64% are female.
While working on their Associate Degree, culinary arts majors at Niagara County Community College accumulate an average of around $12,244 in student debt.
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Louisiana Culinary Institute ranked #16 on this year’s Most Popular Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools list. Louisiana Culinary Institute is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the suburb of Baton Rouge.
Women make up 62% of the culinary arts majors at the school.
The average amount in student loans that culinary arts majors at Louisiana Culinary Institute take out while working on their Associate Degree is $11,938.
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City Colleges of Chicago - Kennedy-King College landed the #18 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular associate degree culinary arts programs. Located in the city of Chicago, Kennedy-King College is a public school with a small student population.
About 69% of the students majoring in culinary arts at the school are women while 31% are male.
On average, culinary arts graduates from Kennedy-King College take out $12,994 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.
Full Culinary Arts at City Colleges of Chicago - Kennedy-King College Report
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Helms College ranked #19 on this year’s Most Popular Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools list. Helms College is a fairly small private not-for-profit school located in the midsize city of Macon.
About 64% of the students majoring in culinary arts at the school are women while 36% are male.
While working on their Associate Degree, culinary arts majors at Helms College accumulate an average of around $20,972 in student debt.
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College of Southern Nevada came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools ranking. CSN is a very large public school located in the city of Las Vegas.
Women make up 70% of the culinary arts majors at the school.
The average amount in student loans that culinary arts majors at CSN take out while working on their Associate Degree is $13,636.
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With a ranking of #21, Houston Community College did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for culinary arts students working on their associate degree. Located in the large city of Houston, Houston Community College is a public college with a fairly large student population.
Women make up 73% of the culinary arts majors at the school.
On average, culinary arts graduates from Houston Community College take out $27,562 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.
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National Louis University landed the #22 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular associate degree culinary arts programs. NLU is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago.
Women make up 44% of the culinary arts majors at the school.
The average amount in student loans that culinary arts majors at NLU take out while working on their Associate Degree is $17,353. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $479, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
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With a ranking of #23, Hinds Community College did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for culinary arts students working on their associate degree. Hinds Community College is a large public school located in the fringe town of Raymond.
Women make up 76% of the culinary arts majors at the school.
After completing their Associate Degree, culinary arts graduates from Hinds Community College carry an average student debt load of $23,685.
Full Culinary Arts at Hinds Community College Report
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Baker College came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools ranking. Baker College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the distant town of Owosso.
About 63% of the students majoring in culinary arts at the school are women while 37% are male.
After completing their Associate Degree, culinary arts graduates from Baker College carry an average student debt load of $17,466. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $99.
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Monroe College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for culinary arts students to get a associate degree. It came in at #24 on the list. Located in the large city of Bronx, Monroe College is a private for-profit college with a medium-sized student population.
About 66% of the students majoring in culinary arts at the school are women while 34% are male.
After completing their Associate Degree, culinary arts graduates from Monroe College carry an average student debt load of $15,983.
Full Culinary Arts at Monroe College Report
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Remaining Award Winners
This section represents the rest of the schools awarded a Most Popular Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools badge. Showing in this list means the college was ranked in the top 15% of the 426 different United States culinary arts schools we analyzed.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | Southwestern Oregon Community College | Coos Bay, OR |
| 51 | The Art Institute of Atlanta | Atlanta, GA |
| 54 | Bristol Community College | Fall River, MA |
| 54 | Utah Valley University | Orem, UT |
| 54 | Guam Community College | Mangilao, GU |
| 54 | El Paso Community College | El Paso, TX |
| 54 | Wake Technical Community College | Raleigh, NC |
| 54 | Kingsborough Community College | Brooklyn, NY |
| 54 | Kirkwood Community College | Cedar Rapids, IA |
| 54 | National University College | Bayamon, PR |
| 54 | Suffolk County Community College | Selden, NY |
| 54 | Pittsburgh Technical College | Oakdale, PA |
Additional Noteworthy Schools
These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also popular but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Most Popular Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools award.
Culinary Arts by Region
View the Most Popular Culinary Arts Associate Degree 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 Related Majors
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 26 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.
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More about our data sources and methodologies.
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