Best Culinary Arts and Related Services institutions in the US, ranked by earnings
Compare 556 U.S. colleges offering Culinary Arts and Related Services by graduate earnings, cost, and outcomes. Federal data across 49 states.
About Culinary Arts and Related Services programs
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 hospitality, offering a pathway to a dynamic and creative profession.
Students will gain core skills in food production, customer service, and safety practices. Coursework often includes critical thinking, mathematics, and hands-on cooking experiences, ensuring a well-rounded education in culinary arts.
Top 50 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings
Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard, predominant credential).
| # | Institution | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Completions | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Johnson County Community College Overland Park, KS Public · Associate degree | $38,977 | 43 | 31% | — | — |
| 2 | Southeast Community College Area Lincoln, NE Public · Certificate degree | $36,734 | 52 | 38% | — | $19,146 |
| 3 | Cincinnati State Technical and Community College Cincinnati, OH Public · Associate degree | $36,330 | 111 | 16% | — | $12,145 |
| 4 | Fox Valley Technical College Appleton, WI Public · Associate degree | $34,736 | 52 | 65% | — | $14,234 |
| 5 | Asheville - Buncombe Technical Community College Asheville, NC Public · Associate degree | $32,602 | 75 | 40% | — | — |
| 6 | Saint Paul College Saint Paul, MN Public · Certificate degree | $32,478 | 31 | 40% | — | $17,500 |
| 7 | Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science Paul Smiths, NY Private not-for-profit · Associate degree | $32,023 | 9 | 51% | $22,773 | — |
| 8 | Salt Lake Community College Salt Lake City, UT Public · Associate degree | $31,788 | 18 | 29% | — | — |
| 9 | Atlantic Cape Community College Mays Landing, NJ Public · Associate degree | $31,639 | 44 | 30% | — | $11,000 |
| 10 | Miami Dade College Miami, FL Public · Associate degree | $31,101 | 149 | 46% | — | — |
| 11 | Dallas College Dallas, TX Public · Certificate degree | $30,484 | 161 | 32% | — | $9,218 |
| 12 | Hillsborough Community College Tampa, FL Public · Associate degree | $29,451 | 43 | 34% | — | — |
| 13 | Arizona Culinary Institute Scottsdale, AZ Private for-profit · Certificate degree | $29,223 | 127 | 91% | $39,067 | $9,500 |
| 14 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania - Main Campus Indiana, PA Public · Certificate degree | $29,155 | 64 | 56% | — | $12,000 |
| 15 | Kennebec Valley Community College Fairfield, ME Public · Associate degree | $28,893 | 3 | 39% | — | — |
| 16 | Montgomery County Community College Blue Bell, PA Public · Certificate degree | $28,885 | 31 | 28% | — | — |
| 17 | YTI Career Institute - York York, PA Private for-profit · Certificate degree | $28,351 | 15 | 45% | $17,792 | $11,667 |
| 18 | Joliet Junior College Joliet, IL Public · Associate degree | $28,252 | 82 | 21% | — | $16,375 |
| 19 | Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale Fort Lauderdale, FL Private not-for-profit · Associate degree | $28,159 | 48 | 61% | $35,483 | $20,000 |
| 20 | Culinary Institute Inc Houston, TX Private for-profit · Associate degree | $28,089 | 162 | 100% | $27,563 | $27,829 |
| 21 | International Air and Hospitality Academy Vancouver, WA Private for-profit · Certificate degree | $28,085 | 41 | — | $27,191 | $9,500 |
| 22 | Culinary Institute of America Hyde Park, NY Private not-for-profit · Associate degree | $28,049 | 756 | 63% | $31,271 | $12,000 |
| 23 | Sinclair Community College Dayton, OH Public · Associate degree | $28,037 | 109 | 41% | — | — |
| 24 | SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill Cobleskill, NY Public · Bachelor's degree | $27,738 | 8 | 42% | — | — |
| 25 | Southwestern Oregon Community College Coos Bay, OR Public · Certificate degree | $27,727 | 40 | 40% | — | $12,000 |
| 26 | Grand Rapids Community College Grand Rapids, MI Public · Certificate degree | $27,630 | 59 | 21% | — | $12,125 |
| 27 | Johnson & Wales University - Providence Providence, RI Private not-for-profit · Associate degree | $27,514 | 395 | 55% | $31,634 | $14,745 |
| 28 | Johnson & Wales University - Charlotte Charlotte, NC Private not-for-profit · Associate degree | $27,514 | 166 | 49% | $29,446 | $14,745 |
| 29 | Johnson & Wales University - Online Providence, RI Private not-for-profit · Associate degree | $27,514 | 15 | 0% | $21,981 | $14,745 |
| 30 | Schoolcraft Community College District Livonia, MI Public · Associate degree | $27,248 | 75 | 18% | — | $15,750 |
| 31 | Manatee Technical College Bradenton, FL Public · Certificate degree | $27,210 | 28 | 64% | — | — |
| 32 | Central Piedmont Community College Charlotte, NC Public · Associate degree | $27,127 | 317 | 31% | — | — |
| 33 | Utah Valley University Orem, UT Public · Associate degree | $27,056 | 73 | 45% | — | — |
| 34 | College of DuPage Glen Ellyn, IL Public · Associate degree | $26,952 | 41 | 25% | — | — |
| 35 | Texas State Technical College Waco, TX Public · Associate degree | $26,927 | 33 | 46% | — | $11,000 |
| 36 | Des Moines Area Community College Ankeny, IA Public · Associate degree | $26,913 | 28 | 39% | — | $11,167 |
| 37 | Kapiolani Community College Honolulu, HI Public · Associate degree | $26,882 | 82 | 22% | — | $10,087 |
| 38 | Kalamazoo Valley Community College Kalamazoo, MI Public · Associate degree | $26,843 | 24 | 28% | — | $14,382 |
| 39 | Ferris State University Big Rapids, MI Public · Associate degree | $26,692 | 3 | 47% | — | $23,251 |
| 40 | Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts - Austin Austin, TX Private for-profit · Associate degree | $26,613 | 212 | 70% | $21,708 | $19,682 |
| 41 | SUNY College of Technology at Alfred Alfred, NY Public · Associate degree | $26,598 | 15 | 55% | — | $12,000 |
| 42 | Northwestern Michigan College Traverse City, MI Public · Associate degree | $26,586 | 18 | 25% | — | $14,199 |
| 43 | Niagara County Community College Sanborn, NY Public · Associate degree | $26,514 | 111 | 32% | — | $12,000 |
| 44 | Houston Community College Houston, TX Public · Associate degree | $26,419 | 111 | 17% | — | $26,217 |
| 45 | Pierpont Community and Technical College Fairmont, WV Public · Associate degree | $26,399 | 19 | 42% | — | — |
| 46 | Saint Louis Community College Bridgeton, MO Public · Associate degree | $26,318 | 44 | 21% | — | — |
| 47 | Greenville Technical College Greenville, SC Public · Associate degree | $26,268 | 54 | 21% | — | $19,434 |
| 48 | Hudson County Community College Jersey City, NJ Public · Associate degree | $26,170 | 104 | 26% | — | $12,900 |
| 49 | Delaware Technical Community College - Terry Dover, DE Public · Associate degree | $26,031 | 29 | 22% | — | — |
| 50 | NorthWest Arkansas Community College Bentonville, AR Public · Certificate degree | $25,996 | 72 | 31% | — | $12,500 |
Offered across 49 states
The same program, compared state by state. Pick a state for in-state earnings and institutions.
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 35-2014, Cooks, Restaurant, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Culinary Arts and Related Services program can pursue various careers, including chefs, bakers, and restaurant managers. The job outlook is much faster than average, with an expected growth rate of 14.9% and approximately 250,700 annual openings. The median wage for these positions is around $36,830, and formal education is not always required.
Top-paying metros
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in Culinary Arts and Related Services programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this program most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
What graduates do on the job
- Ensure food is stored and cooked at correct temperature by regulating temperature of ovens, broilers, grills, and roasters.
- Inspect and clean food preparation areas, such as equipment, work surfaces, and serving areas, to ensure safe and sanitary food-handling practices.
- Portion, arrange, and garnish food, and serve food to waiters or patrons.
- Ensure freshness of food and ingredients by checking for quality, keeping track of old and new items, and rotating stock.
- Season and cook food according to recipes or personal judgment and experience.
- Coordinate and supervise work of kitchen staff.
Tools & technology
Concentrations within Culinary Arts and Related Services
Specializations under this field (NCES CIP 2020).
- Cooking and Related Culinary Arts, GeneralCIP 12.0500
A program that focuses on the general study of the cooking and related culinary arts, and that may prepare individuals for a variety of jobs within the food service industry
- Baking and Pastry Arts/Baker/Pastry ChefCIP 12.0501
A program that prepares individuals to serve as professional bakers and pastry specialists in restaurants or other commercial baking establishments
- Bartending/BartenderCIP 12.0502
A program that prepares individuals to professionally prepare mixed alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and related products and manage bars, lounges, and beverage service operations in the hospital
- Culinary Arts/Chef TrainingCIP 12.0503
A program that prepares individuals to provide professional chef and related cooking services in restaurants and other commercial food establishments
- Restaurant, Culinary, and Catering Management/ManagerCIP 12.0504
A program that prepares individuals to plan, supervise, and manage food and beverage preparation and service operations, restaurant facilities, and catering services
- Food Preparation/Professional Cooking/Kitchen AssistantCIP 12.0505
A program that prepares individuals to serve under the supervision of chefs and other food service professionals as kitchen support staff and commercial food preparation workers
- Meat Cutting/Meat CutterCIP 12.0506
A program that prepares individuals to receive, cut, and package animal meat products in commercial establishments and to function as licensed meat cutters/butchers
- Food Service, Waiter/Waitress, and Dining Room Management/ManagerCIP 12.0507
A program that prepares individuals to serve food to customers in formal or informal settings
- Institutional Food WorkersCIP 12.0508
A program that prepares individuals in production and service used in governmental, commercial or independently owned institutional food establishments and related food industry occupations
- Culinary Science/CulinologyCIP 12.0509
A program that focuses on the blending of food science and the culinary arts and that prepares individuals to work as research chefs and related research and development positions in the food industry
- Wine Steward/SommelierCIP 12.0510
A program that prepares individuals to manage wine selection, purchasing, storage, sales, and service for a variety of establishments in the hospitality industry
- ReservedCIP 12.0580
Reserved for use by Statistics Canada
Common questions
What types of specializations are available?+
Specializations include Cooking and Related Culinary Arts, Baking and Pastry Arts, Bartending, Culinary Arts/Chef Training, and more.
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop skills in critical thinking, food production, customer service, and safety practices.
What is the job outlook for culinary arts graduates?+
The job outlook is much faster than average, with a growth rate of 14.9% and approximately 250,700 annual openings.
Do I need a formal education to work in culinary arts?+
No formal educational credential is typically required, although training can enhance job prospects.
Related programs
Other programs in the same field of study.
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