2027 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Bachelor’s Degree Schools
[Culinary Arts/Chef Training](/majors/personal-and-culinary-services/culinary-arts/culinary-arts-chef-training/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 6 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for culinary arts/chef training students.
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2027 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools in the United States
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the culinary arts/chef training degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools
College Of Southern Nevada tops our 2027 list of the best value culinary arts/chef training schools in the United States. Set in the city of Las Vegas, College Of Southern Nevada is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,358, while out-of-state students pay about $13,024. Students borrow a median of $9,980 to complete the culinary arts/chef training program here. Early-career culinary arts/chef training graduates make about $22,428. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #2 makes Universidad Del Este one of the best values for culinary arts/chef training. Universidad Del Este is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Carolina. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,750. Typical student debt for culinary arts/chef training graduates is $13,000. Culinary Arts/chef Training graduates of Universidad Del Este earn a median of $14,017 early in their careers. Set against $13,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in culinary arts/chef training will find it at Nicholls State University, which ranked #3. Nicholls State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Thibodaux. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,149, compared with $9,242 for out-of-state students. Culinary Arts/chef Training graduates carry a median of $26,063 in student loans. Early-career culinary arts/chef training graduates make about $23,038. Set against $26,063 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 91%.
Students looking for strong value in culinary arts/chef training will find it at Johnson And Wales University Providence, which ranked #4. Located in the city of Providence, Johnson And Wales University Providence is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $41,982. Typical student debt for culinary arts/chef training graduates is $27,000. Early-career culinary arts/chef training graduates make about $32,775. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Culinary Institute Of America earned it the #5 place for culinary arts/chef training. Located in the suburb of Hyde Park, Culinary Institute Of America is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $38,670. Typical student debt for culinary arts/chef training graduates is $27,000. Culinary Arts/chef Training graduates of Culinary Institute Of America earn a median of $43,808 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Culinary Institute Of America admits about 91% of applicants.
The Restaurant School At Walnut Hill College came in at #6 for value in culinary arts/chef training this year. Set in the city of Philadelphia, The Restaurant School At Walnut Hill College is a small private for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $29,499. Culinary Arts/chef Training graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, culinary arts/chef training degree recipients from The Restaurant School At Walnut Hill College generally make around $27,593. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 43%.
Other Culinary Arts/Chef Training Degree Levels
Explore the best-value culinary arts/chef training schools at other degree levels:
View All Culinary Arts/Chef Training Rankings >
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.
