2027 Best Value Institutional Food Workers Associate’s Degree Schools
[Institutional Food Workers](/majors/personal-and-culinary-services/culinary-arts/institutional-food-workers/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools to find the best return on investment for institutional food workers students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value Institutional Food Workers Schools in the United States
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the institutional food workers degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Institutional Food Workers Schools
Leading the list is Trident Technical College, our #1 best value for institutional food workers in the United States. Set in the city of Charleston, Trident Technical College is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $4,546, with out-of-state students paying around $8,620. Institutional Food Workers graduates carry a median of $15,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, institutional food workers degree recipients from Trident Technical College generally make around $50,166. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Horry Georgetown Technical College came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value institutional food workers schools. Horry Georgetown Technical College is a large public school located in the city of Conway. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,518, while out-of-state students pay about $10,978. Institutional Food Workers graduates carry a median of $19,500 in student loans. Early-career institutional food workers graduates make about $24,466. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Atlantic Cape Community College earned it the #3 place for institutional food workers. Set in the rural area of Mays Landing, Atlantic Cape Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,594, with out-of-state students paying around $8,350. Typical student debt for institutional food workers graduates is $11,000. Institutional Food Workers graduates of Atlantic Cape Community College earn a median of $37,141 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $11,000 median debt.
Salt Lake Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in institutional food workers, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Community College is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,426, while out-of-state students pay about $14,244. Typical student debt for institutional food workers graduates is $10,855. Early-career institutional food workers graduates make about $31,788. Set against $10,855 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Southeast Community College Area came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value institutional food workers schools. Southeast Community College Area is a large public school located in the city of Lincoln. Students from in state pay about $3,444 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $4,032. Typical student debt for institutional food workers graduates is $19,146. Institutional Food Workers graduates of Southeast Community College Area earn a median of $26,446 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Greenville Technical College placed #6 among the best values for institutional food workers. Located in the city of Greenville, Greenville Technical College is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,495, while out-of-state students pay about $10,775. Institutional Food Workers graduates carry a median of $19,434 in student loans. Soon after graduation, institutional food workers degree recipients from Greenville Technical College generally make around $26,268. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
San Jacinto Community College earned the #7 position for value in institutional food workers this year. Set in the city of Pasadena, San Jacinto Community College is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,490, while out-of-state students pay about $6,690. Typical student debt for institutional food workers graduates is $11,376. Early-career institutional food workers graduates make about $38,107. Set against $11,376 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Ecpi University landed the #8 spot for institutional food workers value this year. Located in the city of Virginia Beach, Ecpi University is a large private for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $18,484. Students borrow a median of $18,043 to complete the institutional food workers program here. Soon after graduation, institutional food workers degree recipients from Ecpi University generally make around $23,320. That is a strong return on a $18,043 median debt. The acceptance rate is 74%.
Other Institutional Food Workers Degree Levels
Looking for a different degree level? Compare best-value Institutional Food Workers rankings across degree levels:
View All Institutional Food Workers 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 · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 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.
