2026 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools in Arkansas

[Culinary Arts/Chef Training](/majors/personal-and-culinary-services/culinary-arts/culinary-arts-chef-training/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong culinary arts/chef training education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 4 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value culinary arts/chef training schools.
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2026 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools in Arkansas
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
Ozarka College tops our 2026 list of the best value culinary arts/chef training schools in Arkansas. Located in the rural area of Melbourne, Ozarka College is a small public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,820, with out-of-state students paying around $6,820. Culinary Arts/chef Training graduates carry a median of $11,778 in student loans. Soon after graduation, culinary arts/chef training degree recipients from Ozarka College generally make around $48,116. Set against $11,778 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in culinary arts/chef training will find it at Northwest Arkansas Community College, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Bentonville, Northwest Arkansas Community College is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $3,342 in tuition and fees, compared with $5,238 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $12,500 to complete the culinary arts/chef training program here. Culinary Arts/chef Training graduates of Northwest Arkansas Community College earn a median of $26,011 early in their careers. Set against $12,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Pulaski Technical College earned it the #3 place for culinary arts/chef training. Pulaski Technical College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of North Little Rock. In-state tuition and fees average $6,300, with out-of-state students paying around $9,450. Culinary Arts/chef Training graduates carry a median of $19,250 in student loans. Culinary Arts/chef Training graduates of Pulaski Technical College earn a median of $25,597 early in their careers. Set against $19,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 4 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.