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2022 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Culinary Arts (Income $30-$48k)

223 Ranked Colleges
7,304 Degrees Awarded
$4,100 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2019-2020, 21,906 people earned their degree in culinary arts, making the major the 80th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, culinary arts graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $23,822 and had an average of $19,004 in loans still to pay off.

At the associate degree level specifically, there were 7,304 culinary arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $33,082 and $17,678 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 223 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in culinary arts. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great culinary arts programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the culinary arts program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Culinary Arts Schools

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Culinary Arts (Income $30-$48k)

#1

Valencia College

Orlando, Florida

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Valencia College. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k list. Valencia College is a large school located in Orlando, Florida that handed out 102 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Valencia College also took the #3 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Valencia College is $5,369 for associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Culinary Arts at Valencia College

#2

Moraine Valley Community College

Palos Hills, Illinois

Out of the 223 schools in the Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Moraine Valley Community College landed the #2 spot on the list. MVCC is a public institution located in Palos Hills, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 17 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Moraine Valley Community College is $1,513 for associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Moraine Valley Community College Culinary Arts Report

#3

Kapiolani Community College

Honolulu, Hawaii

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Kapiolani Community College. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k list. Kapiolani Community College is a medium-sized school located in Honolulu, Hawaii that handed out 61 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Kapiolani CC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Kapiolani Community College is $6,422 for associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Culinary Arts at Kapiolani CC

#4

Nassau Community College

Garden City, New York

Out of the 223 schools in the Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Nassau Community College landed the #4 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Garden City, New York, and it awarded 15 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Nassau Community College, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Nassau Community College is $3,837 for associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Culinary Arts at Nassau Community College

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Niagara County Community College. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Sanborn, New York, this small public school awarded 82 degrees to qualified associates’s culinary arts students in 2019-2020.

Niagara County Community College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Niagara County Community College is $4,444 for associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Niagara County Community College Culinary Arts Report

South Georgia Technical College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #6. South Georgia Technical College is a small school located in Americus, Georgia that handed out 16 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for South Georgia Technical College is $-130 for Associate Degree Culinary Arts students whose families make $30-$48k. When an average net price is negative, it usually means that the student will receive more financial aid than it costs to attend the school.

Full South Georgia Technical College Culinary Arts Report

#7

Elgin Community College

Elgin, Illinois

Elgin Community College ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k list. This medium-sized school is located in Elgin, Illinois, and it awarded 18 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2019-2020.

ECC also claimed a top spot on our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $3,717 for Associate Degree Culinary Arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Elgin Community College.

Full Elgin Community College Culinary Arts Report

Florida State College at Jacksonville ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Jacksonville, Florida, and it awarded 29 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2019-2020.

FSCJ did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #23 on our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend FSCJ is $3,680 for associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Culinary Arts at Florida State College at Jacksonville

Cincinnati State Technical and Community College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Cincinnati State is a medium-sized public school situated in Cincinnati, Ohio. It awarded 49 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Cincinnati State also took the #12 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $4,292 for Associate Degree Culinary Arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Cincinnati State.

Read full report on Culinary Arts at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College

Metropolitan Community College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #10. Metropolitan Community College is a fairly large school located in Omaha, Nebraska that handed out 27 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2019-2020.

MCC also claimed a top spot on our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. It costs about $2,963 for Associate Degree Culinary Arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend MCC.

Read more about Culinary Arts at Metropolitan Community College

#11

Madison Area Technical College

Madison, Wisconsin

Madison Area Technical College landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Madison, Wisconsin, this fairly large public school handed out 15 diplomas to qualified associates’s culinary arts students in 2019-2020.

Madison College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Madison Area Technical College is $8,584 for associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Madison College Culinary Arts Report

#12

Joliet Junior College

Joliet, Illinois

Joliet Junior College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #12. Joliet Junior College is located in Joliet, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 58 associates’s culinary arts degrees to qualified students.

Joliet Junior College also made our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools” list, coming in at #17. The estimated yearly cost for Joliet Junior College is $4,134 for Associate Degree Culinary Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Joliet Junior College Culinary Arts Report

#13

Oakland Community College

Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

Oakland Community College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k list. Oakland Community College is a public institution located in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 12 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Oakland Community College is $1,614 for associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Culinary Arts at Oakland Community College

#14

College of Lake County

Grayslake, Illinois

College of Lake County landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. College of Lake County is a fairly large school located in Grayslake, Illinois that handed out 20 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on this list, College of Lake County is in the top on our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend College of Lake County is $4,136 for Associate Degree Culinary Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Culinary Arts at College of Lake County

#15

El Centro College

Dallas, Texas

El Centro College landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. El Centro College is located in Dallas, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 36 associates’s culinary arts degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, El Centro College is also in the top of our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for El Centro College is $4,228 for associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Culinary Arts at El Centro College

SUNY Schenectady County Community College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #16. This small school is located in Schenectady, New York, and it awarded 46 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, SUNY Schenectady is also in the top of our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools” ranking. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools” list. It costs about $5,422 for associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend SUNY Schenectady County Community College.

Full SUNY Schenectady Culinary Arts Report

#17

Athens Technical College

Athens, Georgia
Top 15% in overall quality

With a ranking of #17, Athens Technical College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Athens, Georgia, this small public school handed out 7 diplomas to qualified associates’s culinary arts students in 2019-2020.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Athens Technical College also did well on our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Athens Technical College is $4,861 for Associate Degree Culinary Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Culinary Arts at Athens Technical College

#18

Atlanta Technical College

Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta Technical College came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This small school is located in Atlanta, Georgia, and it awarded 14 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Atlanta Area Tech is $858 for Associate Degree Culinary Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Culinary Arts at Atlanta Area Tech

Suffolk County Community College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #19. Selden, New York is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s culinary arts degrees to 20 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Suffolk County Community College is $4,371 for Associate Degree Culinary Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Culinary Arts at Suffolk County Community College

#20

Miami Dade College

Miami, Florida

Miami Dade College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #20. MDC is a large school located in Miami, Florida that handed out 33 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2019-2020.

MDC excels when it comes to culinary arts quality. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $5,290 for Associate Degree Culinary Arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend MDC.

Read more about Culinary Arts at MDC

Austin Community College District landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Austin, Texas, and it awarded 16 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Austin Community College District is $4,362 for associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Austin Community College District Culinary Arts Report

#22

Leeward Community College

Pearl City, Hawaii

Leeward Community College ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k list. Leeward Community College is a medium-sized public school situated in Pearl City, Hawaii. It awarded 15 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Leeward CC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Leeward Community College is $7,183 for associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Culinary Arts at Leeward CC

#23

Ogeechee Technical College

Statesboro, Georgia

With a ranking of #23, Ogeechee Technical College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k list. Ogeechee Technical College is located in Statesboro, Georgia and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 6 associates’s culinary arts degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $872 for Associate Degree Culinary Arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Ogeechee Technical College.

Full Ogeechee Technical College Culinary Arts Report

With a ranking of #24, Cuyahoga Community College District did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, this fairly large public school handed out 23 degrees to qualified associates’s culinary arts students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $4,996 for Associate Degree Culinary Arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Cuyahoga Community College District.

Read full report on Culinary Arts at Cuyahoga Community College District

#25

NorthWest Arkansas Community College

Bentonville, Arkansas

NorthWest Arkansas Community College landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. NWACC is a public institution located in Bentonville, Arkansas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 30 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for NWACC is $5,804 for Associate Degree Culinary Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Culinary Arts at NWACC

Rest of the Best 34 in Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate For Those Making $30-$48k

Not only did these schools make the top 34 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

#27

Central New Mexico Community College

Albuquerque, New Mexico
#28

Orange Coast College

Costa Mesa, California
#29

Wake Technical Community College

Raleigh, North Carolina
#30

Manchester Community College

Manchester, Connecticut
#31

Hudson County Community College

Jersey City, New Jersey
#32

Grayson College

Denison, Texas

Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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