2027 Best Value Baking & Pastry Arts/Baker/Pastry Chef Schools in Illinois
[Baking & Pastry Arts/Baker/Pastry Chef](/majors/personal-and-culinary-services/culinary-arts/baking-and-pastry-arts-baker-pastry-chef/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 10 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef students.
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2027 Best Value Baking & Pastry Arts/Baker/Pastry Chef Schools in Illinois
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Baking & Pastry Arts/Baker/Pastry Chef Schools
For return on investment in baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef, no school beat Joliet Junior College this year. Joliet Junior College is a very large public school located in the suburb of Joliet. In-state tuition and fees average $4,530, compared with $13,800 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef graduates is $16,375. Early-career baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef graduates make about $28,252. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Moraine Valley Community College earned it the #2 place for baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef. Moraine Valley Community College is a large public school located in the suburb of Palos Hills. Students from in state pay about $3,822 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $9,846. Typical student debt for baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef graduates is $11,149. Early-career baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef graduates make about $43,844. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef will find it at Richland Community College, which ranked #3. Set in the city of Decatur, Richland Community College is a mid-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,680, compared with $17,070 for out-of-state students. Baking & Pastry Arts/baker/pastry Chef graduates carry a median of $9,562 in student loans. Early-career baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef graduates make about $46,233. Set against $9,562 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef will find it at Elgin Community College, which ranked #4. Set in the city of Elgin, Elgin Community College is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,252, with out-of-state students paying around $9,516. Baking & Pastry Arts/baker/pastry Chef graduates carry a median of $7,727 in student loans. Early-career baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef graduates make about $43,975. That is a strong return on a $7,727 median debt.
Mchenry County College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the rural area of Crystal Lake, Mchenry County College is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $4,162 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $14,399. Baking & Pastry Arts/baker/pastry Chef graduates carry a median of $7,440 in student loans. Early-career baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef graduates make about $24,177. That is a strong return on a $7,440 median debt.
College Of Dupage earned the #6 position for value in baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef this year. Set in the suburb of Glen Ellyn, College Of Dupage is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,560, compared with $12,750 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef graduates is $12,492. Soon after graduation, baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef degree recipients from College Of Dupage generally make around $26,952. Set against $12,492 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
College Of Lake County placed #7 among the best values for baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef. Located in the suburb of Grayslake, College Of Lake County is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,788, while out-of-state students pay about $14,400. Typical student debt for baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef graduates is $9,785. Baking & Pastry Arts/baker/pastry Chef graduates of College Of Lake County earn a median of $50,314 early in their careers. Set against $9,785 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
City Colleges Of Chicago Kennedy King College came in at #8 for value in baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef this year. City Colleges Of Chicago Kennedy King College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Chicago. In-state tuition and fees average $4,590, compared with $15,150 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef graduates is $7,986. Baking & Pastry Arts/baker/pastry Chef graduates of City Colleges Of Chicago Kennedy King College earn a median of $19,447 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Southwestern Illinois College came in at #9 for value in baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef this year. Located in the suburb of Belleville, Southwestern Illinois College is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,230, compared with $6,720 for out-of-state students. Baking & Pastry Arts/baker/pastry Chef graduates carry a median of $10,388 in student loans. Early-career baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef graduates make about $44,345. That is a strong return on a $10,388 median debt.
National Louis University placed #10 among the best values for baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef. Located in the city of Chicago, National Louis University is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,245. Typical student debt for baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef graduates is $17,500. Baking & Pastry Arts/baker/pastry Chef graduates of National Louis University earn a median of $24,786 early in their careers. Set against $17,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 95% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 10 ranked 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 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
