2027 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools in New Jersey
[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 schools below stand out for delivering a strong culinary arts/chef training education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 7 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for culinary arts/chef training students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools in New Jersey
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
Leading the list is Middlesex County College, our #1 best value for culinary arts/chef training in New Jersey. Set in the suburb of Edison, Middlesex County College is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,764, with out-of-state students paying around $7,356. Typical student debt for culinary arts/chef training graduates is $9,514. Early-career culinary arts/chef training graduates make about $37,975. Set against $9,514 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Mercer County Community College came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value culinary arts/chef training schools. Set in the rural area of West Windsor, Mercer County Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $5,310, while out-of-state students pay about $9,174. Typical student debt for culinary arts/chef training graduates is $12,250. Soon after graduation, culinary arts/chef training degree recipients from Mercer County Community College generally make around $45,389. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Hudson County Community College earned it the #3 place for culinary arts/chef training. Located in the city of Jersey City, Hudson County Community College is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,384, while out-of-state students pay about $9,248. Culinary Arts/chef Training graduates carry a median of $12,900 in student loans. Early-career culinary arts/chef training graduates make about $26,170. Set against $12,900 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in culinary arts/chef training will find it at Atlantic Cape Community College, which ranked #4. Located in the rural area of Mays Landing, Atlantic Cape Community College is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,594, while out-of-state students pay about $8,350. Typical student debt for culinary arts/chef training graduates is $11,000. Culinary Arts/chef Training graduates of Atlantic Cape Community College earn a median of $31,639 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Passaic County Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in culinary arts/chef training, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Paterson, Passaic County Community College is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $6,300, with out-of-state students paying around $10,560. Culinary Arts/chef Training graduates carry a median of $9,581 in student loans. Culinary Arts/chef Training graduates of Passaic County Community College earn a median of $28,957 early in their careers. Set against $9,581 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Brookdale Community College ranked #6 on our 2027 list of the best value culinary arts/chef training schools. Located in the suburb of Lincroft, Brookdale Community College is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,270, compared with $10,140 for out-of-state students. Culinary Arts/chef Training graduates carry a median of $12,651 in student loans. Culinary Arts/chef Training graduates of Brookdale Community College earn a median of $37,374 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Ocean County Vocational Technical School came in at #7 for value in culinary arts/chef training this year. Located in the suburb of Toms River, Ocean County Vocational Technical School is a small public university. Early-career culinary arts/chef training graduates make about $16,566.
More Culinary Arts/Chef Training Rankings
View All Culinary Arts/Chef Training Rankings >
Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 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.
