2027 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools in Florida
[Culinary Arts](/majors/personal-and-culinary-services/culinary-arts/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 30 schools to find the best return on investment for culinary arts students.
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2027 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools in Florida
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the culinary arts degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Culinary Arts Schools
Indian River State College tops our 2027 list of the best value culinary arts schools in Florida. Set in the suburb of Fort Pierce, Indian River State College is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,764, compared with $10,201 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for culinary arts graduates is $10,492. Soon after graduation, culinary arts degree recipients from Indian River State College generally make around $44,082. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in culinary arts will find it at Hillsborough Community College, which ranked #2. Hillsborough Community College is a very large public school located in the city of Tampa. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,491, with out-of-state students paying around $9,088. Students borrow a median of $19,657 to complete the culinary arts program here. Culinary Arts graduates of Hillsborough Community College earn a median of $29,451 early in their careers. Set against $19,657 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Pensacola State College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in culinary arts, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Pensacola, Pensacola State College is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $2,361, compared with $9,463 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for culinary arts graduates is $9,191. Soon after graduation, culinary arts degree recipients from Pensacola State College generally make around $45,811. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Miami Dade College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in culinary arts, landing the #4 spot this year. Miami Dade College is a very large public school located in the city of Miami. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,838, while out-of-state students pay about $9,661. Typical student debt for culinary arts graduates is $10,882. Soon after graduation, culinary arts degree recipients from Miami Dade College generally make around $31,101. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Florida State College At Jacksonville earned it the #5 place for culinary arts. Florida State College At Jacksonville is a very large public school located in the city of Jacksonville. In-state tuition and fees average $2,657, compared with $9,631 for out-of-state students. Culinary Arts graduates carry a median of $19,139 in student loans. Early-career culinary arts graduates make about $46,748. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Manatee Technical College landed the #6 spot for culinary arts value this year. Located in the suburb of Bradenton, Manatee Technical College is a mid-sized public university. Culinary Arts graduates carry a median of $9,726 in student loans. Culinary Arts graduates of Manatee Technical College earn a median of $27,210 early in their careers. Set against $9,726 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Gulf Coast State College placed #7 among the best values for culinary arts. Located in the city of Panama City, Gulf Coast State College is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,370, compared with $8,635 for out-of-state students. Culinary Arts graduates carry a median of $8,286 in student loans. Soon after graduation, culinary arts degree recipients from Gulf Coast State College generally make around $49,086. That is a strong return on a $8,286 median debt.
Daytona State College landed the #8 spot for culinary arts value this year. Daytona State College is a large public school located in the city of Daytona Beach. Students from in state pay about $3,106 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $11,994. Culinary Arts graduates carry a median of $12,557 in student loans. Soon after graduation, culinary arts degree recipients from Daytona State College generally make around $43,320. Set against $12,557 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Erwin Technical College earned the #9 position for value in culinary arts this year. Located in the city of Tampa, Erwin Technical College is a small public university. Students borrow a median of $13,595 to complete the culinary arts program here. Culinary Arts graduates of Erwin Technical College earn a median of $32,937 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Charlotte Technical College came in at #10 for value in culinary arts this year. Located in the suburb of Port Charlotte, Charlotte Technical College is a small public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,110, compared with $12,110 for out-of-state students. Culinary Arts graduates carry a median of $9,875 in student loans. Soon after graduation, culinary arts degree recipients from Charlotte Technical College generally make around $36,503. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Technical Education Center Osceola ranked #11 on our 2027 list of the best value culinary arts schools. Technical Education Center Osceola is a small public school located in the suburb of Kissimmee. Typical student debt for culinary arts graduates is $10,812. Early-career culinary arts graduates make about $29,420. Set against $10,812 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
School District Of Indian River County Technical Center For Career And Adult Education landed the #12 spot for culinary arts value this year. School District Of Indian River County Technical Center For Career And Adult Education is a small public school located in the suburb of Vero Beach. Culinary Arts graduates of School District Of Indian River County Technical Center For Career And Adult Education earn a median of $33,863 early in their careers.
Sheridan Technical College ranked #13 on our 2027 list of the best value culinary arts schools. Located in the suburb of Hollywood, Sheridan Technical College is a mid-sized public university. Culinary Arts graduates carry a median of $7,698 in student loans. Early-career culinary arts graduates make about $29,243. That is a strong return on a $7,698 median debt.
Marion Technical College Ocala placed #14 among the best values for culinary arts. Located in the city of Ocala, Marion Technical College Ocala is a small public university. Typical student debt for culinary arts graduates is $8,750. Early-career culinary arts graduates make about $31,100. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Lorenzo Walker Technical College came in at #15 for value in culinary arts this year. Set in the suburb of Naples, Lorenzo Walker Technical College is a small public institution. Early-career culinary arts graduates make about $36,815.
Valencia College earned the #16 position for value in culinary arts this year. Set in the city of Orlando, Valencia College is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $2,664 in tuition and fees, compared with $9,576 for out-of-state students. Culinary Arts graduates carry a median of $17,468 in student loans. Culinary Arts graduates of Valencia College earn a median of $25,227 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $17,468 median debt.
Lively Technical Center placed #17 among the best values for culinary arts. Set in the city of Tallahassee, Lively Technical Center is a small public institution. Culinary Arts graduates carry a median of $10,260 in student loans. Soon after graduation, culinary arts degree recipients from Lively Technical Center generally make around $31,226. That is a strong return on a $10,260 median debt.
First Coast Technical College placed #18 among the best values for culinary arts. Set in the suburb of Saint Augustine, First Coast Technical College is a small public institution. Graduates go on to earn a median of $33,784 ten years after entry.
Atlantic Technical College placed #19 among the best values for culinary arts. Located in the suburb of Coconut Creek, Atlantic Technical College is a moderately-sized public university. Students borrow a median of $9,222 to complete the culinary arts program here. Culinary Arts graduates of Atlantic Technical College earn a median of $25,586 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $9,222 median debt.
Withlacoochee Technical College landed the #20 spot for culinary arts value this year. Set in the suburb of Inverness, Withlacoochee Technical College is a small public institution. Culinary Arts graduates of Withlacoochee Technical College earn a median of $31,738 early in their careers.
Orange Technical College Mid Florida Campus placed #21 among the best values for culinary arts. Set in the suburb of Orlando, Orange Technical College Mid Florida Campus is a mid-sized public institution. Soon after graduation, culinary arts degree recipients from Orange Technical College Mid Florida Campus generally make around $37,013.
Broward College came in at #22 for value in culinary arts this year. Set in the city of Fort Lauderdale, Broward College is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,830, while out-of-state students pay about $8,952. Typical student debt for culinary arts graduates is $13,110. Culinary Arts graduates of Broward College earn a median of $51,328 early in their careers. Set against $13,110 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
William T Mcfatter Technical College landed the #23 spot for culinary arts value this year. Located in the suburb of Davie, William T Mcfatter Technical College is a small public university. Culinary Arts graduates carry a median of $9,500 in student loans. Early-career culinary arts graduates make about $15,021. That is a strong return on a $9,500 median debt.
Robert Morgan Educational Center And Technical College placed #24 among the best values for culinary arts. Located in the suburb of Miami, Robert Morgan Educational Center And Technical College is a small public university. Soon after graduation, culinary arts degree recipients from Robert Morgan Educational Center And Technical College generally make around $33,809.
Lake Technical College ranked #25 on our 2027 list of the best value culinary arts schools. Lake Technical College is a small public school located in the suburb of Eustis. Students borrow a median of $10,612 to complete the culinary arts program here. Soon after graduation, culinary arts degree recipients from Lake Technical College generally make around $34,319. That is a strong return on a $10,612 median debt.
Rest of the Top 30 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools
These schools also delivered strong value for culinary arts this year:
More Culinary Arts Rankings
View All Culinary Arts Rankings >
Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 30 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 30 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.
