2026 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools in Washington
[Culinary Arts/Chef Training](/majors/personal-and-culinary-services/culinary-arts/culinary-arts-chef-training/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 16 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for culinary arts/chef training students.
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2026 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools in Washington
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in culinary arts/chef training, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools
Our analysis ranked Clover Park Technical College the best value for a degree in culinary arts/chef training in Washington. Located in the city of Lakewood, Clover Park Technical College is a mid-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $6,634. Students borrow a median of $15,154 to complete the culinary arts/chef training program here. Culinary Arts/chef Training graduates of Clover Park Technical College earn a median of $42,209 early in their careers. Set against $15,154 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Bellingham Technical College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value culinary arts/chef training schools. Bellingham Technical College is a mid-sized public school located in the city of Bellingham. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,431, compared with $5,809 for out-of-state students. Graduates go on to earn a median of $49,748 ten years after entry.
Renton Technical College came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value culinary arts/chef training schools. Located in the city of Renton, Renton Technical College is a mid-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,330, with out-of-state students paying around $7,768. Students borrow a median of $18,582 to complete the culinary arts/chef training program here. Soon after graduation, culinary arts/chef training degree recipients from Renton Technical College generally make around $80,411. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Lake Washington Institute Of Technology came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value culinary arts/chef training schools. Lake Washington Institute Of Technology is a mid-sized public school located in the suburb of Kirkland. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,997, with out-of-state students paying around $12,062. Typical student debt for culinary arts/chef training graduates is $19,695. Soon after graduation, culinary arts/chef training degree recipients from Lake Washington Institute Of Technology generally make around $60,000. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #5 makes Spokane Community College one of the best values for culinary arts/chef training. Set in the city of Spokane, Spokane Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,461, compared with $6,612 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $16,486 to complete the culinary arts/chef training program here. Soon after graduation, culinary arts/chef training degree recipients from Spokane Community College generally make around $23,529. Set against $16,486 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Seattle Community College Central Campus landed the #6 spot for culinary arts/chef training value this year. Seattle Community College Central Campus is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Seattle. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,238, while out-of-state students pay about $5,796. Culinary Arts/chef Training graduates carry a median of $14,699 in student loans. Culinary Arts/chef Training graduates of Seattle Community College Central Campus earn a median of $53,048 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $14,699 median debt.
Seattle Community College South Campus landed the #7 spot for culinary arts/chef training value this year. Set in the city of Seattle, Seattle Community College South Campus is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,208, with out-of-state students paying around $5,796. Median earnings reach $44,486 ten years out.
Olympic College landed the #8 spot for culinary arts/chef training value this year. Olympic College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Bremerton. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,472, compared with $9,740 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $11,497 to complete the culinary arts/chef training program here. Early-career culinary arts/chef training graduates make about $57,593. That is a strong return on a $11,497 median debt.
Clark College came in at #9 for value in culinary arts/chef training this year. Clark College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Vancouver. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,233, compared with $11,183 for out-of-state students. Culinary Arts/chef Training graduates carry a median of $15,432 in student loans. Early-career culinary arts/chef training graduates make about $43,768. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
International Air And Hospitality Academy earned the #10 position for value in culinary arts/chef training this year. International Air And Hospitality Academy is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Vancouver. Typical student debt for culinary arts/chef training graduates is $9,500. Culinary Arts/chef Training graduates of International Air And Hospitality Academy earn a median of $28,085 early in their careers. Set against $9,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
More Culinary Arts/Chef Training Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 16 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
