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2022 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Culinary Arts in Illinois (With Aid)

12 Ranked Colleges
294 Degrees Awarded
$6,500 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in Illinois For Those Getting Aid

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in Illinois For Those Getting Aid” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Culinary Arts is the 80th most popular major in the country with 21,906 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. 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 Getting Aid” ranking analyzed 12 colleges that offered a degree 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.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the culinary arts program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

The culinary arts school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in Illinois For Those Getting Aid”.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. 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 Getting Aid

The colleges and universities below are the best for illinois associate degree culinary arts students with aid.

Top 12 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Culinary Arts in Illinois (With Aid)

#1

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 #1 for the Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in Illinois For Those Getting Aid. 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.

MVCC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $2,422 for Illinois Associate Degree Culinary Arts students with aid per year to attend MVCC.

Read full report on Culinary Arts at MVCC

#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 Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Elgin Community College landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Elgin, Illinois, this medium-sized public school awarded 18 diplomas to qualified associates’s culinary arts students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois associate degree culinary arts students with aid list, ECC has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Elgin Community College is $4,185 for illinois associate degree culinary arts students with aid.

Read more about Culinary Arts at Elgin Community College

#3

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 #3 for the Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in Illinois For Those Getting Aid. Joliet, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s culinary arts degrees to 58 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois associate degree culinary arts students with aid list, Joliet Junior College has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $4,693 for illinois associate degree culinary arts students with aid per year to attend Joliet Junior College.

Read full report on Culinary Arts at Joliet Junior College

#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 Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, College of Lake County landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Grayslake, Illinois, this fairly large public school handed out 20 diplomas to qualified associates’s culinary arts students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at College of Lake County, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $4,735 for illinois associate degree culinary arts students with aid per year to attend College of Lake County.

Full College of Lake County Culinary Arts Report

#5

Southwestern Illinois College

Belleville, Illinois

Out of the 12 schools in the Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in Illinois For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Southwestern Illinois College landed the #5 spot on the list. Southwestern Illinois College is located in Belleville, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 10 associates’s culinary arts degrees to qualified students.

SWIC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for SWIC is $7,098 for illinois associate degree culinary arts students with aid.

Full Southwestern Illinois College 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 Getting Aid list. This small school is located in Decatur, Illinois, and it awarded 13 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2019-2020.

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. The yearly cost to attend Richland Community College is $4,794 for Illinois Associate Degree Culinary Arts students with aid.

Full Richland Community College Culinary Arts Report

City Colleges of Chicago - Kennedy-King College landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s culinary arts degrees to 16 students in 2019-2020.

Kennedy-King College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $5,709 for Illinois Associate Degree Culinary Arts students with aid per year to attend Kennedy-King College.

Full City Colleges of Chicago - Kennedy-King 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 Getting Aid 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. It costs about $14,957 for illinois associate degree culinary arts students with aid per year to attend National Louis University.

Read full report on Culinary Arts at NLU

#9

McHenry County College

Crystal Lake, Illinois

McHenry County College landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Crystal Lake, Illinois, this medium-sized public school awarded 9 diplomas to qualified associates’s culinary arts students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois associate degree culinary arts students with aid list, MCC has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend McHenry County College is $7,048 for illinois associate degree culinary arts students with aid.

Full MCC Culinary Arts Report

#10

Triton College

River Grove, Illinois

Triton College landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. River Grove, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s culinary arts degrees to 14 students in 2019-2020.

Triton College also made our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #10. It costs about $4,988 for Illinois Associate Degree Culinary Arts students with aid per year to attend Triton College.

Read full report on Culinary Arts at Triton College

#11

Rend Lake College

Ina, Illinois

Rend Lake College ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. Rend Lake College is a small public school situated in Ina, Illinois. 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 estimated yearly cost for Rend Lake College is $5,636 for illinois associate degree culinary arts students with aid.

Full Rend Lake College Culinary Arts Report

#12

Saint Augustine College

Chicago, Illinois

Saint Augustine College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. St. Augustine College is a small school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 6 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at St. Augustine College, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Saint Augustine College is $12,193 for Illinois Associate Degree Culinary Arts students with aid.

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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