Best colleges for Culinary Arts and Related Services in California
Ranked by graduate earnings
Institute of Culinary Education, Los Angeles Trade Technical College and Riverside City College award the most Culinary Arts and Related Services degrees and certificates in California: 340, 149 and 102 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 56 California colleges offer Culinary Arts and Related Services and award 2,366 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Culinary Arts and Related Services program prepares students for a variety of careers in the culinary field, focusing on essential cooking techniques and management skills. This program is ideal for those passionate about food and…
Top 2 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Institute of Culinary Education Pasadena Private for-profit · Certificate | $22,759 | 340 | 77% | — | $6,777 |
| 2 | Institute of Technology Clovis Private for-profit · Certificate | $21,509 | 38 | 73% | $24,518 | $9,500 |
Colleges awarding the most Culinary Arts and Related Services degrees in California
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Institute of Culinary Education Pasadena Private for-profit | 340 | $22,759 |
| 2 | Los Angeles Trade Technical College Los Angeles Public | 149 | Not reported |
| 3 | Riverside City College Riverside Public | 102 | Not reported |
| 4 | Orange Coast College Costa Mesa Public | 92 | Not reported |
| 5 | Laney College Oakland Public | 89 | Not reported |
| 6 | Southwestern College Chula Vista Public | 88 | Not reported |
| 7 | Cerritos College Norwalk Public | 85 | Not reported |
| 8 | Long Beach City College Long Beach Public | 79 | Not reported |
| 9 | Cabrillo College Aptos Public | 76 | Not reported |
| 10 | Cuesta College San Luis Obispo Public | 62 | Not reported |
ShowHide the other 46 California colleges offering Culinary Arts and Related Services
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Cooks, Restaurant (SOC 35-2014).
Top skills
What Cooks, Restaurant earn in California
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Culinary Arts and Related Services programs in California.
Which California colleges award the most Culinary Arts and Related Services degrees?+
Institute of Culinary Education (340 graduates a year), Los Angeles Trade Technical College (149 graduates a year) and Riverside City College (102 graduates a year) award the most Culinary Arts and Related Services degrees and certificates in California, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 56 California colleges offer Culinary Arts and Related Services.
Which Culinary Arts and Related Services program in California has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Institute of Culinary Education tops the list at $22,759. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Cooks, Restaurant earn in California?+
The average annual wage for Cooks, Restaurant in California is $45,020 (median $44,880), across about 152,250 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Culinary Arts and Related Services program?+
The Culinary Arts and Related Services program prepares students for a variety of careers in the culinary field, focusing on essential cooking techniques and management skills. This program is ideal for those passionate about food and…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop critical thinking, monitoring, speaking, active listening, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Cooks, Restaurant?+
The national job outlook is about +14.9% growth with around 250,700 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A No formal educational credential is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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