General Cooking & Related Culinary Arts is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.
For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 11 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for general cooking & related culinary arts students pursuing a degree.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall general cooking & related culinary arts education in Virginia.
Our analysis ranked Tidewater Community College the best school in the country for a degree in general cooking & related culinary arts. This very large public university is located in the city of Norfolk. Tidewater Community College awarded about 39 general cooking & related culinary arts degrees in the most recent data year. General Cooking & Related Culinary Arts graduates of Tidewater Community College earn a median of $23,653 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $19,671 to complete this degree.
Read more about the general cooking & related culinary arts program at Tidewater Community College
A rank of #2 makes Rappahannock Community College one of the top schools for general cooking & related culinary arts. Set in the rural area of Glenns, Rappahannock Community College is a mid-sized public institution. There were roughly 26 general cooking & related culinary arts students who graduated with this degree at Rappahannock Community College in the most recent data year. Students who receive their general cooking & related culinary arts degree from Rappahannock Community College earn around $43,398 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $8,997 to complete this degree.
Get the full general cooking & related culinary arts details for Rappahannock Community College
Southside Virginia Community College is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in general cooking & related culinary arts, ranking #3. Set in the rural area of Alberta, Southside Virginia Community College is a mid-sized public institution. There were roughly 19 general cooking & related culinary arts students who graduated with this degree at Southside Virginia Community College in the most recent data year. General Cooking & Related Culinary Arts graduates of Southside Virginia Community College earn a median of $29,666 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $7,467 to complete this degree.
Read more about the general cooking & related culinary arts program at Southside Virginia Community College
Virginia Western Community College is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in general cooking & related culinary arts, landing the #4 spot this year. Virginia Western Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Roanoke. There were roughly 20 general cooking & related culinary arts students who graduated with this degree at Virginia Western Community College in the most recent data year. Students who receive their general cooking & related culinary arts degree from Virginia Western Community College earn around $36,245 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $13,715 to complete this degree.
Get the full general cooking & related culinary arts details for Virginia Western Community College
J Sargeant Reynolds Community College is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in general cooking & related culinary arts, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Richmond, J Sargeant Reynolds Community College is a large public institution. About 22 general cooking & related culinary arts degrees were awarded at J Sargeant Reynolds Community College in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, general cooking & related culinary arts degree recipients from J Sargeant Reynolds Community College generally make around $36,965. Typical student debt for the program is $16,131.
Get the full general cooking & related culinary arts details for J Sargeant Reynolds Community College
More General Cooking & Related Culinary Arts Rankings
View All General Cooking & Related Culinary Arts Rankings >
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 11 schools evaluated.
- 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.
