by our College Data Analytics Team
[Culinary Arts](/majors/personal-and-culinary-services/culinary-arts/) graduates earn very different salaries depending on where they study. A top-earning program sends graduates into careers with strong starting pay.
College Factual analyzed 5 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the highest-paying culinary arts schools.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools send culinary arts graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
Our analysis ranked Leeward Community College the top school for culinary arts graduate earnings in Hawaii. Set in the suburb of Pearl City, Leeward Community College is a public institution. Early-career culinary arts graduates from Leeward Community College make a median of around $35,023 per year.
Kapiolani Community College produces some of the highest-paid graduates in culinary arts, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Honolulu, Kapiolani Community College is a public institution. After graduating, culinary arts degree recipients from Kapiolani Community College typically earn about $36,477 annually.
A rank of #3 makes University Of Hawaii Maui College one of the highest-paying schools for culinary arts. Located in the city of Kahului, University Of Hawaii Maui College is a public institution. Early-career culinary arts graduates from University Of Hawaii Maui College make a median of around $38,985 per year.
Students chasing top earnings in culinary arts will find them at Hawaii Community College, which ranked #4. Hawaii Community College is a public school located in the town of Hilo. After graduating, culinary arts degree recipients from Hawaii Community College typically earn about $34,234 annually.
Kauai Community College came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying culinary arts schools. Located in the rural area of Lihue, Kauai Community College is a public institution. Students who complete the culinary arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $26,788.
This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology measures the salaries culinary arts graduates go on to earn early in their careers, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 5 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.