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2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k

12 Ranked Colleges
294 Degrees Awarded
$24,043 Avg Salary
Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking.

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.

Across Illinois, there were 1,160 culinary arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $25,336 and $20,786 respectively. At the associate degree level specifically, there were 294 culinary arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $33,469 and $14,548 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking analyzed 12 colleges that offered a degree in culinary arts. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent culinary arts programs, but they also 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. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k

The colleges and universities below are the best for illinois associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $48-$75k.

Top 12 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Culinary Arts (Income $48-$75k) in Illinois

#1

Joliet Junior College

Joliet, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Joliet Junior College. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k. Joliet Junior College is a public institution located in Joliet, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 58 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Joliet Junior College also took the #2 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $4,482 for illinois associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Joliet Junior College.

Read more about Culinary Arts at Joliet Junior College

#2

Elgin Community College

Elgin, Illinois

Out of the 12 schools in the Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Elgin Community College landed the #2 spot on the list. Elgin Community College is located in Elgin, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 18 associates’s culinary arts degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our illinois associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $48-$75k list, ECC has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Elgin Community College is $6,022 for Illinois Associate Degree Culinary Arts students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full ECC Culinary Arts Report

#3

Moraine Valley Community College

Palos Hills, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Moraine Valley Community College. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k. Palos Hills, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s culinary arts degrees to 17 students in 2019-2020.

MVCC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Moraine Valley Community College is $5,411 for Illinois Associate Degree Culinary Arts students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Moraine Valley Community College Culinary Arts Report

#4

College of Lake County

Grayslake, Illinois

Out of the 12 schools in the Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, College of Lake County landed the #4 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Grayslake, Illinois, and it awarded 20 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2019-2020.

College of Lake County did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $6,232 for Illinois Associate Degree Culinary Arts students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend College of Lake County.

Read full report on Culinary Arts at College of Lake County

#5

Southwestern Illinois College

Belleville, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Southwestern Illinois College. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k. This medium-sized school is located in Belleville, Illinois, and it awarded 10 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2019-2020.

SWIC also took the #6 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $8,720 for Illinois Associate Degree Culinary Arts students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Southwestern Illinois College.

Full SWIC Culinary Arts Report

#6

Richland Community College

Decatur, Illinois

With a ranking of #6, Richland Community College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Richland Community College is located in Decatur, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 13 associates’s culinary arts degrees to qualified students.

Richland Community College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $5,782 for Illinois Associate Degree Culinary Arts students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Richland Community College.

Full Richland Community College Culinary Arts Report

#7

Triton College

River Grove, Illinois

Triton College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #7. This medium-sized school is located in River Grove, Illinois, and it awarded 14 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Triton College also made our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #10. The estimated yearly cost for Triton College is $7,436 for illinois associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Triton College Culinary Arts Report

#8

National Louis University

Chicago, Illinois

With a ranking of #8, National Louis University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. NLU is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 60 associates’s culinary arts degrees to qualified students.

NLU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for National Louis University is $16,888 for Illinois Associate Degree Culinary Arts students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Culinary Arts at NLU

City Colleges of Chicago - Kennedy-King College landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. City Colleges of Chicago - Kennedy-King College is a public institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 16 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Kennedy-King College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $7,737 for illinois associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend City Colleges of Chicago - Kennedy-King College.

Full City Colleges of Chicago - Kennedy-King College Culinary Arts Report

#10

McHenry County College

Crystal Lake, Illinois

With a ranking of #10, McHenry County College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Crystal Lake, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s culinary arts degrees to 9 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $48-$75k list, MCC has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for MCC is $8,060 for illinois associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full McHenry County College Culinary Arts Report

#11

Rend Lake College

Ina, Illinois

With a ranking of #11, Rend Lake College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. This small school is located in Ina, Illinois, and it awarded 4 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Rend Lake College, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Rend Lake College is $7,450 for illinois associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Rend Lake College Culinary Arts Report

#12

Saint Augustine College

Chicago, Illinois

Saint Augustine College ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. St. Augustine College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 6 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

St. Augustine College also made our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #7. It costs about $15,013 for illinois associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend St. Augustine College.

Full Saint Augustine College Culinary Arts Report

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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