2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region
Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
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 the Great Lakes region, there were 2,698 culinary arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $24,767 and $19,400 respectively. At the associate degree level specifically, there were 814 culinary arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $32,508 and $17,812 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region” ranking analyzed 39 colleges that offered a degree in culinary arts. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality culinary arts programs that also have a lower cost than 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.
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More Ways to Rank Culinary Arts Schools
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 the Great Lakes Region”.
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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.
Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region.
Top 25 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Culinary Arts in the Great Lakes Region
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Madison Area Technical College. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region. Madison Area Technical College is a public institution located in Madison, Wisconsin. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 15 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Madison College also took the #1 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Madison College is $9,904 for great lakes region associate degree culinary arts students.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Cincinnati State Technical and Community College. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region list. Cincinnati, Ohio is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s culinary arts degrees to 49 students in 2019-2020.
Cincinnati State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Cincinnati State is $5,469 for great lakes region associate degree culinary arts students.
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 the Great Lakes Region. 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.
Joliet Junior College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Joliet Junior College is $4,693 for great lakes region associate degree culinary arts students.
Out of the 39 schools in the Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Southwest Wisconsin Technical College landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Fennimore, Wisconsin, this small public school awarded 6 degrees to qualified associates’s culinary arts students in 2019-2020.
Southwest Tech also made our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #5. The estimated yearly cost for Southwest Wisconsin Technical College is $9,955 for great lakes region associate degree culinary arts students.
The low student loan default rate of 4.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Culinary Arts at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Fox Valley Technical College. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region list. FVTC is located in Appleton, Wisconsin and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 19 associates’s culinary arts degrees to qualified students.
FVTC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $11,127 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts students per year to attend Fox Valley Technical College.
Milwaukee Area Technical College landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking. MATC is a fairly large public school situated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It awarded 29 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at MATC, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for MATC is $9,076 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts students.
Waukesha County Technical College ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region list. WCTC is a medium-sized school located in Pewaukee, Wisconsin that handed out 21 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2019-2020.
WCTC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $10,165 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts students per year to attend WCTC.
Elgin Community College landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking. ECC 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.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at ECC, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for ECC is $4,185 for great lakes region associate degree culinary arts students.
Chippewa Valley Technical College landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Eau Claire, Wisconsin is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s culinary arts degrees to 8 students in 2019-2020.
CVTC also made our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #11. The yearly cost to attend CVTC is $10,773 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts students.
Oakland Community College landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Oakland Community College is a fairly large school located in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan that handed out 12 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2019-2020.
Oakland Community College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Oakland Community College is $2,825 for great lakes region associate degree culinary arts students.
Moraine Valley Community College landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking. 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 #12 on our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $2,422 for great lakes region associate degree culinary arts students per year to attend Moraine Valley Community College.
Read full report on Culinary Arts at Moraine Valley Community College
Southwestern Illinois College ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region list. This medium-sized school is located in Belleville, Illinois, and it awarded 10 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2019-2020.
SWIC also made our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #17. The estimated yearly cost for SWIC is $7,098 for great lakes region associate degree culinary arts students.
Read full report on Culinary Arts at Southwestern Illinois College
With a ranking of #13, Western Technical College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region list. Western Technical College is located in La Crosse, Wisconsin and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 6 associates’s culinary arts degrees to qualified students.
Western Technical College also took the #15 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Western Technical College is $10,081 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts students.
The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Cuyahoga Community College District did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #14. Cuyahoga Community College District is located in Cleveland, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 23 associates’s culinary arts degrees to qualified students.
Cuyahoga Community College District did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Cuyahoga Community College District is $5,415 for great lakes region associate degree culinary arts students.
Read more about Culinary Arts at Cuyahoga Community College District
Gateway Technical College landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Gateway Technical College is a medium-sized school located in Kenosha, Wisconsin that handed out 11 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2019-2020.
Gateway Technical College also took the #16 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $9,252 for great lakes region associate degree culinary arts students per year to attend Gateway Technical College.
The student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
National Louis University landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking. National Louis University is a medium-sized school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 60 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2019-2020.
NLU also made our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #2. The yearly cost to attend NLU is $14,957 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts students.
Blackhawk Technical College landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This small school is located in Janesville, Wisconsin, and it awarded 3 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2019-2020.
BTC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for BTC is $8,760 for great lakes region associate degree culinary arts students.
Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
With a ranking of #18, College of Lake County did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region list. 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.
College of Lake County also made our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #9. The yearly cost to attend College of Lake County is $4,735 for great lakes region associate degree culinary arts students.
Macomb Community College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Warren, Michigan is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s culinary arts degrees to 25 students in 2019-2020.
Macomb Community College also made our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #20. It costs about $8,724 for great lakes region associate degree culinary arts students per year to attend Macomb Community College.
With a ranking of #20, Schoolcraft College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region list. Schoolcraft College is a medium-sized public school situated in Livonia, Michigan. It awarded 16 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2019-2020.
Schoolcraft College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #21 on our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $7,578 for great lakes region associate degree culinary arts students per year to attend Schoolcraft College.
Stark State College came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking. North Canton, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s culinary arts degrees to 9 students in 2019-2020.
Stark State College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #25 on our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Stark State College is $6,464 for great lakes region associate degree culinary arts students.
Baker College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #22. Baker College is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Owosso, Michigan. It awarded 41 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2019-2020.
Baker College also took the #22 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Baker College is $15,049 for Great Lakes Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts students.
The student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Grand Rapids Community College ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region list. Grand Rapids Community College is a public institution located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 22 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Grand Rapids Community College also took the #18 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Grand Rapids Community College is $8,684 for great lakes region associate degree culinary arts students.
Northwestern Michigan College ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region list. NMC is a public institution located in Traverse City, Michigan. The school has a small population, and it awarded 14 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our great lakes region associate degree culinary arts students list, NMC has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $9,563 for great lakes region associate degree culinary arts students per year to attend NMC.
Washtenaw Community College ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Great Lakes Region list. Washtenaw Community College is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 25 associates’s culinary arts degrees to qualified students.
The estimated yearly cost for Washtenaw Community College is $2,441 for great lakes region associate degree culinary arts students.
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Culinary Arts students with family income $48-$75k in the Great Lakes Region
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Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Culinary Arts in the Great Lakes Region
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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.
Credits
- Credit for the banner image above goes to U.S. Army Europe Images.
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