2027 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region
[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 7 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 Rocky Mountains 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
Leading the list is Utah Valley University, our #1 best value for culinary arts/chef training in the Rocky Mountains Region. Set in the city of Orem, Utah Valley University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,507, with out-of-state students paying around $18,489. Typical student debt for culinary arts/chef training graduates is $16,478. Early-career culinary arts/chef training graduates make about $51,242. Set against $16,478 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #2 makes College Of Southern Idaho one of the best values for culinary arts/chef training. Located in the city of Twin Falls, College Of Southern Idaho is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $3,360, while out-of-state students pay about $6,840. Students borrow a median of $11,175 to complete the culinary arts/chef training program here. Culinary Arts/chef Training graduates of College Of Southern Idaho earn a median of $39,099 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in culinary arts/chef training will find it at Colorado Mountain College, which ranked #3. Colorado Mountain College is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Glenwood Springs. In-state tuition and fees average $2,616, with out-of-state students paying around $12,840. Students borrow a median of $12,953 to complete the culinary arts/chef training program here. Early-career culinary arts/chef training graduates make about $48,694. Set against $12,953 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #4 makes Salt Lake Community College one of the best values for culinary arts/chef training. Located in the suburb of Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Community College is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $4,426 in tuition and fees, compared with $14,244 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $10,855 to complete the culinary arts/chef training program here. Soon after graduation, culinary arts/chef training degree recipients from Salt Lake Community College generally make around $31,788. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in culinary arts/chef training will find it at Bridgerland Technical College, which ranked #5. Located in the city of Logan, Bridgerland Technical College is a mid-sized public university. Culinary Arts/chef Training graduates carry a median of $12,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, culinary arts/chef training degree recipients from Bridgerland Technical College generally make around $28,884. That is a strong return on a $12,000 median debt.
Auguste Escoffier School Of Culinary Arts Boulder earned the #6 position for value in culinary arts/chef training this year. Located in the city of Boulder, Auguste Escoffier School Of Culinary Arts Boulder is a large private for-profit university. Students borrow a median of $14,198 to complete the culinary arts/chef training program here. Soon after graduation, culinary arts/chef training degree recipients from Auguste Escoffier School Of Culinary Arts Boulder generally make around $27,953. That is a strong return on a $14,198 median debt.
Davis Technical College landed the #7 spot for culinary arts/chef training value this year. Located in the suburb of Kaysville, Davis Technical College is a moderately-sized public university. Culinary Arts/chef Training graduates carry a median of $6,262 in student loans. Culinary Arts/chef Training graduates of Davis Technical College earn a median of $34,093 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $6,262 median debt.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 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.
