2022 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. 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 Great Lakes Region” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
In 2019-2020, 10,007 people earned their degree in culinary arts/chef training, making the major the 135th most popular in the United States.
Across the Great Lakes region, there were 1,457 culinary arts/chef training graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the associate degree level specifically, there were 566 culinary arts/chef training graduates with average earnings and debt of $32,508 and $17,812 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region” ranking looked at 32 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in culinary arts/chef training. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent culinary arts/chef training programs, but they also 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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
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One Size Does Not Fit All
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.
Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region.
Top 25 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Culinary Arts/Chef Training in the Great Lakes Region
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Madison Area Technical College. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region. Madison College is a fairly large public school situated in Madison, Wisconsin. It awarded 15 associates’s culinary arts/chef training degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Madison College, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Madison Area Technical College is $9,904 for great lakes region associate degree culinary arts/chef training students.
Read full report on Culinary Arts/Chef Training at Madison Area Technical College
Out of the 32 schools in the Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Cincinnati State Technical and Community College landed the #2 spot on the list. Cincinnati State Technical and Community College is a medium-sized public school situated in Cincinnati, Ohio. It awarded 33 associates’s culinary arts/chef training degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our great lakes region associate degree culinary arts/chef training students list, Cincinnati State has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Cincinnati State is $5,469 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts/Chef Training students.
Read more about Culinary Arts/Chef Training at Cincinnati State
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Joliet Junior College. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region. Joliet, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s culinary arts/chef training degrees to 58 students in 2019-2020.
Joliet Junior College also made our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #4. The estimated yearly cost for Joliet Junior College is $4,693 for great lakes region associate degree culinary arts/chef training students.
Read more about Culinary Arts/Chef Training at Joliet Junior College
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Southwest Wisconsin Technical College. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Fennimore, Wisconsin, this small public school awarded 3 diplomas to qualified associates’s culinary arts/chef training students in 2019-2020.
Southwest Tech did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Southwest Tech is $9,955 for great lakes region associate degree culinary arts/chef training students.
The low student loan default rate of 4.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read more about Culinary Arts/Chef Training at Southwest Tech
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Fox Valley Technical College. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region. FVTC is a fairly large public school situated in Appleton, Wisconsin. It awarded 19 associates’s culinary arts/chef training degrees in 2019-2020.
FVTC also made our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #6. It costs about $11,127 for great lakes region associate degree culinary arts/chef training students per year to attend Fox Valley Technical College.
Milwaukee Area Technical College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Milwaukee Area Technical College is a fairly large school located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that handed out 17 associates’s culinary arts/chef training degrees in 2019-2020.
MATC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $9,076 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts/Chef Training students per year to attend Milwaukee Area Technical College.
Elgin Community College landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Elgin Community College is located in Elgin, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 7 associates’s culinary arts/chef training degrees to qualified students.
ECC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Elgin Community College is $4,185 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts/Chef Training students.
With a ranking of #8, Chippewa Valley Technical College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region list. Chippewa Valley Technical College is located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 8 associates’s culinary arts/chef training degrees to qualified students.
CVTC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $10,773 for great lakes region associate degree culinary arts/chef training students per year to attend CVTC.
With a ranking of #9, Oakland Community College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region list. Oakland Community College is a public institution located in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 12 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Oakland Community College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Oakland Community College is $2,825 for great lakes region associate degree culinary arts/chef training students.
Read full report on Culinary Arts/Chef Training at Oakland Community College
Cuyahoga Community College District came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Cuyahoga Community College District is a fairly large public school situated in Cleveland, Ohio. It awarded 23 associates’s culinary arts/chef training degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cuyahoga Community College District, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Cuyahoga Community College District is $5,415 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts/Chef Training students.
Read more about Culinary Arts/Chef Training at Cuyahoga Community College District
Gateway Technical College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #11. Located in Kenosha, Wisconsin, this medium-sized public school awarded 11 diplomas to qualified associates’s culinary arts/chef training students in 2019-2020.
Gateway Technical College also made our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #12. The yearly cost to attend Gateway Technical College is $9,252 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts/Chef Training students.
With a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Full Gateway Technical College Culinary Arts/Chef Training Report
National Louis University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #12. National Louis University is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 45 associates’s culinary arts/chef training degrees to qualified students.
NLU also took the #2 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for National Louis University is $14,957 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts/Chef Training students.
With a ranking of #13, Blackhawk Technical College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region list. This small school is located in Janesville, Wisconsin, and it awarded 3 associates’s culinary arts/chef training degrees in 2019-2020.
BTC also took the #14 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $8,760 for great lakes region associate degree culinary arts/chef training students per year to attend BTC.
Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Macomb Community College ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Warren, Michigan, this fairly large public school handed out 16 degrees to qualified associates’s culinary arts/chef training students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Macomb Community College, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Macomb Community College is $8,724 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts/Chef Training students.
Read full report on Culinary Arts/Chef Training at Macomb Community College
Schoolcraft College landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Livonia, Michigan, and it awarded 16 associates’s culinary arts/chef training degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Schoolcraft College, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Schoolcraft College is $7,578 for great lakes region associate degree culinary arts/chef training students.
Read more about Culinary Arts/Chef Training at Schoolcraft College
Stark State College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #16. North Canton, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s culinary arts/chef training degrees to 9 students in 2019-2020.
Stark State College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $6,464 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts/Chef Training students per year to attend Stark State College.
Read more about Culinary Arts/Chef Training at Stark State College
Baker College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #17. This medium-sized school is located in Owosso, Michigan, and it awarded 26 associates’s culinary arts/chef training degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our great lakes region associate degree culinary arts/chef training students list, Baker College has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $15,049 for great lakes region associate degree culinary arts/chef training students per year to attend Baker College.
The student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Read more about Culinary Arts/Chef Training at Baker College
With a ranking of #18, Grand Rapids Community College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region list. Grand Rapids Community College is a fairly large school located in Grand Rapids, Michigan that handed out 22 associates’s culinary arts/chef training degrees in 2019-2020.
Grand Rapids Community College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Grand Rapids Community College is $8,684 for great lakes region associate degree culinary arts/chef training students.
Read more about Culinary Arts/Chef Training at Grand Rapids Community College
With a ranking of #19, Northwestern Michigan College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region list. This small school is located in Traverse City, Michigan, and it awarded 14 associates’s culinary arts/chef training degrees in 2019-2020.
NMC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $9,563 for great lakes region associate degree culinary arts/chef training students per year to attend Northwestern Michigan College.
Read full report on Culinary Arts/Chef Training at Northwestern Michigan College
Henry Ford College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #20. Dearborn, Michigan is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s culinary arts/chef training degrees to 9 students in 2019-2020.
Henry Ford College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $3,182 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts/Chef Training students per year to attend Henry Ford College.
Saint Augustine College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #21. St. Augustine College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 6 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.
St. Augustine College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Saint Augustine College is $12,193 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts/Chef Training students.
Read full report on Culinary Arts/Chef Training at Saint Augustine College
Sinclair Community College came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Dayton, Ohio, this fairly large public school awarded 9 diplomas to qualified associates’s culinary arts/chef training students in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Sinclair Community College is $4,208 for great lakes region associate degree culinary arts/chef training students.
Read full report on Culinary Arts/Chef Training at Sinclair Community College
Lakeshore Technical College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #23. This small school is located in Cleveland, Wisconsin, and it awarded 7 associates’s culinary arts/chef training degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for LTC is $10,780 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts/Chef Training students.
Read full report on Culinary Arts/Chef Training at Lakeshore Technical College
With a ranking of #24, Triton College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region list. Triton College is located in River Grove, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 8 associates’s culinary arts/chef training degrees to qualified students.
Triton College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #24 on our “Best Culinary Arts/Chef Training Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $4,988 for great lakes region associate degree culinary arts/chef training students per year to attend Triton College.
Mott Community College landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking. MCC is a medium-sized public school situated in Flint, Michigan. It awarded 6 associates’s culinary arts/chef training degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for MCC is $7,481 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts/Chef Training students.
Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Read more about Culinary Arts/Chef Training at Mott Community College
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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.
Credits
- Credit for the banner image above goes to U.S. Army Europe Images.
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