by our College Data Analytics TeamCollege Factual looked at 132 colleges and universities when compiling its 2024 Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 6,800 associate degrees in culinary arts during the 2020-2021 academic year.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
Your choice of culinary arts for getting your associate degree school matters. Important measures of a quality culinary arts program can vary widely even among the top schools. To make it into this list, a school must excel in the following areas.
A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To account for this we consider a college's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a host of various factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
Average early-career salary of those graduating with their associate degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. That is, everyone wants their associate degree to be worth something, and salaries are one measure of determining that.
The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.
Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for culinary arts students working on their associate degree.
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we've developed the Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
Learn about the top ranked colleges and universities for culinary arts students seeking a an associate degree. Only those schools that rank in the top 15% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.
Every student pursuing a degree in an associate degree in culinary arts has to check out Culinary Institute of America. The Culinary Institute of America is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Hyde Park.
Culinary Arts associate degree recipients from Culinary Institute of America earn a boost of around $7,617 over the typical income of culinary arts graduates.
More information about a associate in culinary arts from Culinary Institute of America
Johnson & Wales University - Providence is one of the best schools in the United States for getting an associate degree in culinary arts. Located in the midsize city of Providence, JWU Providence is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population.
Associate students who receive their degree from the culinary arts program earn around $26,084 in the first couple years of their career.
More information about a associate in culinary arts from Johnson & Wales University - Providence
National Louis University is a wonderful option for individuals interested in an associate degree in culinary arts. NLU is a medium-sized private not-for-profit university located in the city of Chicago.
Associate recipients from the culinary arts major at National Louis University get $5,792 more than the typical college graduate with the same degree shortly after graduation.
More information about a associate in culinary arts from National Louis University
Valencia College is a great decision for students pursuing an associate degree in culinary arts. Valencia College is a very large public college located in the city of Orlando.
Associate students who receive their degree from the culinary arts program make around $24,166 in the first couple years of their career.
More information about a associate in culinary arts from Valencia College
JWU Charlotte is a small private not-for-profit university located in the city of Charlotte.
Associate students who receive their degree from the culinary arts program make about $26,084 in the first couple years of working.
More information about a associate in culinary arts from Johnson & Wales University - Charlotte
IUP is a moderately-sized public university located in the distant town of Indiana.More information about a associate in culinary arts from Indiana University of Pennsylvania - Main Campus
Located in the small city of Lakewood, CPTC is a public college with a small student population.More information about a associate in culinary arts from Clover Park Technical College
Located in the city of Saint Paul, Saint Paul College is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.More information about a associate in culinary arts from Saint Paul College
Escoffier - Boulder is a moderately-sized private for-profit school located in the city of Boulder.More information about a associate in culinary arts from Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts - Boulder
Madison College is a fairly large public college located in the city of Madison.
Culinary Arts associate degree recipients from Madison Area Technical College earn a boost of approximately $4,110 above the typical income of culinary arts majors.
More information about a associate in culinary arts from Madison Area Technical College
CVTC is a medium-sized public college located in the small city of Eau Claire.More information about a associate in culinary arts from Chippewa Valley Technical College
Located in the large city of Virginia Beach, ECPI University is a private for-profit university with a large student population.
Students who graduate with their associate from the culinary arts program state that they receive average early career earnings of $22,745.
More information about a associate in culinary arts from ECPI University
Gateway Technical College is a medium-sized public college located in the midsize suburb of Kenosha.More information about a associate in culinary arts from Gateway Technical College
Located in the city of Dallas, El Centro College is a public college with a fairly large student population.
Those culinary arts students who get their associate degree from El Centro College earn $2,097 more than the typical culinary arts grad.
More information about a associate in culinary arts from El Centro College
Located in the city of Louisville, Sullivan University is a private for-profit university with a small student population.
Associate graduates who receive their degree from the culinary arts program earn an average of $23,826 for their early career.
More information about a associate in culinary arts from Sullivan University
Cincinnati State is a medium-sized public college located in the large city of Cincinnati.
Those culinary arts students who get their associate degree from Cincinnati State Technical and Community College make $4,639 more than the standard culinary arts student.
More information about a associate in culinary arts from Cincinnati State Technical and Community College
Located in the large city of Honolulu, Kapiolani CC is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.
Culinary Arts associate degree recipients from Kapiolani Community College receive an earnings boost of about $2,847 above the typical income of culinary arts graduates.
More information about a associate in culinary arts from Kapiolani Community College
JCCC is a fairly large public college located in the medium-sized city of Overland Park.
Associate recipients from the culinary arts major at Johnson County Community College make $12,694 more than the standard college grad with the same degree shortly after graduation.
More information about a associate in culinary arts from Johnson County Community College
Wake Technical Community College is a fairly large public college located in the suburb of Raleigh.
Associate recipients from the culinary arts major at Wake Technical Community College make $6,223 more than the typical college graduate with the same degree shortly after graduation.
More information about a associate in culinary arts from Wake Technical Community CollegeHere are some additional great schools for Culinary Arts students that almost earned our Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 26 | Delaware Technical Community College - Terry | Dover, DE |
| 20 | Savannah Technical College | Savannah, GA |
| 21 | Cerritos College | Norwalk, CA |
| 22 | Houston Community College | Houston, TX |
| 23 | Milwaukee Area Technical College | Milwaukee, WI |
| 24 | Miami Dade College | Miami, FL |
| 25 | Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale | Fort Lauderdale, FL |
View the Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools for a specific region near you.
One of 4 majors within the Personal & Culinary Services area of study, Culinary Arts has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Funeral & Mortuary Science | 1,541 |
| Cosmetology | 1,173 |
| Other Personal & Culinary Services | 1 |
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