2026 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools in the New England Region
[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 17 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for culinary arts/chef training students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools in the New England Region
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
Holyoke Community College tops our 2026 list of the best value culinary arts/chef training schools in the New England Region. Holyoke Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the rural area of Holyoke. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,988, with out-of-state students paying around $10,932. Culinary Arts/chef Training graduates carry a median of $9,763 in student loans. Soon after graduation, culinary arts/chef training degree recipients from Holyoke Community College generally make around $43,423. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #2 makes Bunker Hill Community College one of the best values for culinary arts/chef training. Bunker Hill Community College is a large public school located in the city of Boston. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,168, with out-of-state students paying around $11,112. Culinary Arts/chef Training graduates carry a median of $11,893 in student loans. Soon after graduation, culinary arts/chef training degree recipients from Bunker Hill Community College generally make around $51,782. Set against $11,893 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #3 makes Massasoit Community College one of the best values for culinary arts/chef training. Located in the suburb of Brockton, Massasoit Community College is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,376, compared with $10,320 for out-of-state students. Culinary Arts/chef Training graduates carry a median of $10,894 in student loans. Culinary Arts/chef Training graduates of Massasoit Community College earn a median of $42,938 early in their careers. Set against $10,894 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Eastern Maine Community College came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value culinary arts/chef training schools. Eastern Maine Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the city of Bangor. In-state tuition and fees average $4,156, while out-of-state students pay about $7,036. Culinary Arts/chef Training graduates carry a median of $17,741 in student loans. Soon after graduation, culinary arts/chef training degree recipients from Eastern Maine Community College generally make around $52,263. Set against $17,741 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #5 makes Capital Community College one of the best values for culinary arts/chef training. Set in the city of New Britain, Capital Community College is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $5,338, with out-of-state students paying around $15,596. Typical student debt for culinary arts/chef training graduates is $12,059. Culinary Arts/chef Training graduates of Capital Community College earn a median of $43,086 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $12,059 median debt.
Johnson And Wales University Providence earned the #6 position for value in culinary arts/chef training this year. Set in the city of Providence, Johnson And Wales University Providence is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $41,982. Culinary Arts/chef Training graduates carry a median of $20,873 in student loans. Culinary Arts/chef Training graduates of Johnson And Wales University Providence earn a median of $30,145 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 88%.
Narrow Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools by State
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), 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 · 17 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
