2026 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools in Kansas
[Culinary Arts](/majors/personal-and-culinary-services/culinary-arts/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong culinary arts education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 9 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value culinary arts schools.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools in Kansas
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
Our analysis ranked Johnson County Community College the best value for a degree in culinary arts in Kansas. Located in the city of Overland Park, Johnson County Community College is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,424, while out-of-state students pay about $5,688. Students borrow a median of $13,532 to complete the culinary arts program here. Soon after graduation, culinary arts degree recipients from Johnson County Community College generally make around $38,977. That is a strong return on a $13,532 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Kansas City Kansas Community College earned it the #2 place for culinary arts. Set in the city of Kansas City, Kansas City Kansas Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $2,996 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $6,482. Students borrow a median of $13,129 to complete the culinary arts program here. Early-career culinary arts graduates make about $43,216. Set against $13,129 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Butler Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in culinary arts, landing the #3 spot this year. Butler Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of El Dorado. Students from in state pay about $3,541 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $6,271. Culinary Arts graduates carry a median of $16,670 in student loans. Culinary Arts graduates of Butler Community College earn a median of $39,404 early in their careers. Set against $16,670 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
More Culinary Arts Rankings
View All Culinary Arts Rankings >
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 9 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
