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2022 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid

23 Ranked Colleges
585 Degrees Awarded
$9,200 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Culinary Arts/Chef Training is the 135th most popular major in the country with 10,007 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

Across the Southwest region, there were 1,277 culinary arts/chef training graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the associate degree level specifically, there were 585 culinary arts/chef training graduates with average earnings and debt of $33,605 and $16,886 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking analyzed 23 colleges that offered a degree in culinary arts/chef training. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great culinary arts/chef training programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the culinary arts/chef training program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid

The colleges and universities below are the best for southwest region associate degree culinary arts/chef training students with aid.

Top 23 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Culinary Arts/Chef Training in the Southwest Region (With Aid)

#3 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Austin Community College District. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid. This large school is located in Austin, Texas, and it awarded 9 associates’s culinary arts/chef training degrees in 2019-2020.

Austin Community College District also made our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #3. It costs about $6,861 for southwest region associate degree culinary arts/chef training students with aid per year to attend Austin Community College District.

Full Austin Community College District Culinary Arts/Chef Training Report

#2

El Centro College

Dallas, Texas
#2 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend El Centro College. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid list. El Centro College is a large school located in Dallas, Texas that handed out 21 associates’s culinary arts/chef training degrees in 2019-2020.

El Centro College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for El Centro College is $4,373 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts/Chef Training students with aid.

Read full report on Culinary Arts/Chef Training at El Centro College

#3

Houston Community College

Houston, Texas
#7 in overall quality

Out of the 23 schools in the Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Houston Community College landed the #3 spot on the list. Houston Community College is a large school located in Houston, Texas that handed out 39 associates’s culinary arts/chef training degrees in 2019-2020.

Houston Community College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Houston Community College is $5,272 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts/Chef Training students with aid.

Read full report on Culinary Arts/Chef Training at Houston Community College

#4

St Philip's College

San Antonio, Texas
#4 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend St Philip’s College. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid. San Antonio, Texas is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s culinary arts/chef training degrees to 15 students in 2019-2020.

St Philip’s College also made our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #4. The yearly cost to attend St Philip’s College is $6,250 for southwest region associate degree culinary arts/chef training students with aid.

Full St Philip’s College Culinary Arts/Chef Training Report

#5

Central New Mexico Community College

Albuquerque, New Mexico
#12 in overall quality

Out of the 23 schools in the Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Central New Mexico Community College landed the #5 spot on the list. Central New Mexico Community College is located in Albuquerque, New Mexico and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 23 associates’s culinary arts/chef training degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our southwest region associate degree culinary arts/chef training students with aid list, CNM has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $3,429 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts/Chef Training students with aid per year to attend Central New Mexico Community College.

Read more about Culinary Arts/Chef Training at CNM

#6

South Plains College

Levelland, Texas
#10 in overall quality

South Plains College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid list. South Plains College is located in Levelland, Texas and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 12 associates’s culinary arts/chef training degrees to qualified students.

South Plains College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for South Plains College is $7,600 for southwest region associate degree culinary arts/chef training students with aid.

Read more about Culinary Arts/Chef Training at South Plains College

#7

El Paso Community College

El Paso, Texas
#13 in overall quality

El Paso Community College landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. El Paso, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s culinary arts/chef training degrees to 27 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at El Paso Community College, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $4,594 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts/Chef Training students with aid per year to attend El Paso Community College.

Read more about Culinary Arts/Chef Training at El Paso Community College

#9 in overall quality

Collin County Community College District landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Collin County Community College District is located in McKinney, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2 associates’s culinary arts/chef training degrees to qualified students.

Collin County Community College District also made our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #9. It costs about $6,293 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts/Chef Training students with aid per year to attend Collin County Community College District.

Read more about Culinary Arts/Chef Training at Collin County Community College District

#9

Lee College

Baytown, Texas
#11 in overall quality

Lee College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Baytown, Texas, this medium-sized public school awarded 21 degrees to qualified associates’s culinary arts/chef training students in 2019-2020.

Lee College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Lee College is $7,732 for southwest region associate degree culinary arts/chef training students with aid.

Read full report on Culinary Arts/Chef Training at Lee College

#10

Tarrant County College District

Fort Worth, Texas
#15 in overall quality

Tarrant County College District did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #10. Tarrant County College District is a large school located in Fort Worth, Texas that handed out 10 associates’s culinary arts/chef training degrees in 2019-2020.

Tarrant County College also made our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #15. It costs about $5,434 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts/Chef Training students with aid per year to attend Tarrant County College.

Read full report on Culinary Arts/Chef Training at Tarrant County College

#5 in overall quality

San Jacinto Community College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. San Jacinto College is a large public school situated in Pasadena, Texas. It awarded 13 associates’s culinary arts/chef training degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region associate degree culinary arts/chef training students with aid list, San Jacinto College has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $8,692 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts/Chef Training students with aid per year to attend San Jacinto College.

Read more about Culinary Arts/Chef Training at San Jacinto Community College

#12

Del Mar College

Corpus Christi, Texas
#14 in overall quality

Del Mar College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Del Mar College is located in Corpus Christi, Texas and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 5 associates’s culinary arts/chef training degrees to qualified students.

DMC also made our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #14. The yearly cost to attend DMC is $5,738 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts/Chef Training students with aid.

Full DMC Culinary Arts/Chef Training Report

#6 in overall quality

With a ranking of #13, Texas State Technical College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Waco, Texas, this fairly large public school awarded 33 diplomas to qualified associates’s culinary arts/chef training students in 2019-2020.

TSTC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Texas State Technical College is $10,114 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts/Chef Training students with aid.

Read full report on Culinary Arts/Chef Training at TSTC

#14

Scottsdale Community College

Scottsdale, Arizona
#8 in overall quality

Scottsdale Community College ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid list. Scottsdale Community College is located in Scottsdale, Arizona and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 17 associates’s culinary arts/chef training degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our southwest region associate degree culinary arts/chef training students with aid list, Scottsdale Community College has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $10,397 for southwest region associate degree culinary arts/chef training students with aid per year to attend Scottsdale Community College.

Read full report on Culinary Arts/Chef Training at Scottsdale Community College

#15

Texarkana College

Texarkana, Texas
#18 in overall quality

Texarkana College landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Texarkana College is located in Texarkana, Texas and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 10 associates’s culinary arts/chef training degrees to qualified students.

Texarkana College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Texarkana College is $6,394 for southwest region associate degree culinary arts/chef training students with aid.

Full Texarkana College Culinary Arts/Chef Training Report

#16

New Mexico State University - Dona Ana

Las Cruces, New Mexico
#19 in overall quality

New Mexico State University - Dona Ana landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Las Cruces, New Mexico, this medium-sized public school handed out 11 diplomas to qualified associates’s culinary arts/chef training students in 2019-2020.

NMSU Dona Ana not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $5,539 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts/Chef Training students with aid per year to attend New Mexico State University - Dona Ana.

Read more about Culinary Arts/Chef Training at New Mexico State University - Dona Ana

#17

Odessa College

Odessa, Texas
#16 in overall quality

With a ranking of #17, Odessa College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid list. Odessa College is a medium-sized school located in Odessa, Texas that handed out 12 associates’s culinary arts/chef training degrees in 2019-2020.

Odessa College also took the #16 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Odessa College is $5,963 for southwest region associate degree culinary arts/chef training students with aid.

Read more about Culinary Arts/Chef Training at Odessa College

#17 in overall quality

Estrella Mountain Community College landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Estrella Mountain Community College is a public institution located in Avondale, Arizona. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 8 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Estrella Mountain Community College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Estrella Mountain Community College is $9,200 for southwest region associate degree culinary arts/chef training students with aid.

Read full report on Culinary Arts/Chef Training at Estrella Mountain Community College

#19

Northeast Texas Community College

Mount Pleasant, Texas
#20 in overall quality

Northeast Texas Community College ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid list. Northeast Texas Community College is a public institution located in Mount Pleasant, Texas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 6 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region associate degree culinary arts/chef training students with aid list, NTCC has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northeast Texas Community College is $8,110 for southwest region associate degree culinary arts/chef training students with aid.

Read full report on Culinary Arts/Chef Training at NTCC

#1 in overall quality

The Art Institute of Houston came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Ai Houston is a small school located in Houston, Texas that handed out 33 associates’s culinary arts/chef training degrees in 2019-2020.

Ai Houston also took the #1 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Ai Houston is $22,844 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts/Chef Training students with aid.

Read full report on Culinary Arts/Chef Training at The Art Institute of Houston

#21 in overall quality

With a ranking of #21, Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts - Austin did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid list. Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts - Austin is a small private for-profit school situated in Austin, Texas. It awarded 176 associates’s culinary arts/chef training degrees in 2019-2020.

Escoffier - Austin also made our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #21. The yearly cost to attend Escoffier - Austin is $15,267 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts/Chef Training students with aid.

Full Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts - Austin Culinary Arts/Chef Training Report

#22

The Art Institute of San Antonio

San Antonio, Texas
#22 in overall quality

The Art Institute of San Antonio did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #22. Located in San Antonio, Texas, this small private for-profit school handed out 8 degrees to qualified associates’s culinary arts/chef training students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Ai San Antonio, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend The Art Institute of San Antonio is $22,421 for southwest region associate degree culinary arts/chef training students with aid.

Full The Art Institute of San Antonio Culinary Arts/Chef Training Report

#23 in overall quality

The Art Institute of Austin did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #23. The Art Institute of Austin is a private for-profit institution located in Austin, Texas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 7 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Ai Austin also took the #23 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Ai Austin is $24,156 for southwest region associate degree culinary arts/chef training students with aid.

Full The Art Institute of Austin Culinary Arts/Chef Training Report

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Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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