by our College Data Analytics Team
[Culinary Arts](/majors/personal-and-culinary-services/culinary-arts/) programs reward a close look at where graduates go on to earn the most. A top-earning program sends graduates into careers with strong starting pay.
College Factual analyzed 27 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the highest-paying culinary arts schools.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools whose culinary arts graduates go on to earn the most.
Brookdale Community College earned the #1 spot for highest-paid culinary arts graduates in the Middle Atlantic Region. Set in the suburb of Lincroft, Brookdale Community College is a public institution. Students who complete the culinary arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $49,261.
Strong graduate earnings at Suffolk County Community College earned it the #2 place for culinary arts. Suffolk County Community College is a public school located in the suburb of Selden. Students who complete the culinary arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $42,704.
Strong graduate earnings at Harrisburg Area Community College Harrisburg earned it the #3 place for culinary arts. Harrisburg Area Community College Harrisburg is a public school located in the city of Harrisburg. After graduating, culinary arts degree recipients from Harrisburg Area Community College Harrisburg typically earn about $39,335 annually.
Students chasing top earnings in culinary arts will find them at Luzerne County Community College, which ranked #4. Set in the suburb of Nanticoke, Luzerne County Community College is a public institution. Early-career culinary arts graduates from Luzerne County Community College make a median of around $38,333 per year.
Schenectady County Community College came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying culinary arts schools. Set in the city of Schenectady, Schenectady County Community College is a public institution. Early-career culinary arts graduates from Schenectady County Community College make a median of around $36,504 per year.
Cuny Kingsborough Community College placed #6 among the highest-paying schools for culinary arts. Cuny Kingsborough Community College is a public school located in the city of Brooklyn. After graduating, culinary arts degree recipients from Cuny Kingsborough Community College typically earn about $34,465 annually.
Culinary Institute Of America landed the #7 spot for culinary arts salaries this year. Culinary Institute Of America is a private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Hyde Park. Early-career culinary arts graduates from Culinary Institute Of America make a median of around $41,828 per year.
Indiana University Of Pennsylvania Main Campus earned the #8 position for culinary arts graduate earnings this year. Located in the town of Indiana, Indiana University Of Pennsylvania Main Campus is a public institution. Early-career culinary arts graduates from Indiana University Of Pennsylvania Main Campus make a median of around $29,155 per year.
Paul Smiths College Of Arts And Science came in at #9 for culinary arts graduate earnings this year. Set in the rural area of Paul Smiths, Paul Smiths College Of Arts And Science is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, culinary arts degree recipients from Paul Smiths College Of Arts And Science typically earn about $42,296 annually.
Montgomery County Community College landed the #10 spot for culinary arts salaries this year. Set in the suburb of Blue Bell, Montgomery County Community College is a public institution. Culinary Arts graduates of Montgomery County Community College earn a median of about $30,370 a year early in their careers.
Lincoln College Of Technology Columbia came in at #11 for culinary arts graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Columbia, Lincoln College Of Technology Columbia is a private for-profit institution. Students who complete the culinary arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $33,904.
Yti Career Institute York ranked #12 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying culinary arts schools. Yti Career Institute York is a private for-profit school located in the suburb of York. Students who complete the culinary arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $32,225.
Atlantic Cape Community College placed #13 among the highest-paying schools for culinary arts. Atlantic Cape Community College is a public school located in the rural area of Mays Landing. Students who complete the culinary arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $31,639.
Sullivan County Community College landed the #14 spot for culinary arts salaries this year. Set in the rural area of Loch Sheldrake, Sullivan County Community College is a public institution. After graduating, culinary arts degree recipients from Sullivan County Community College typically earn about $31,492 annually.
Delaware Technical Community College Terry landed the #15 spot for culinary arts salaries this year. Set in the city of Dover, Delaware Technical Community College Terry is a public institution. Students who complete the culinary arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $37,199.
Hudson County Community College came in at #16 for culinary arts graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Jersey City, Hudson County Community College is a public institution. Culinary Arts graduates of Hudson County Community College earn a median of about $35,726 a year early in their careers.
The Restaurant School At Walnut Hill College ranked #17 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying culinary arts schools. Located in the city of Philadelphia, The Restaurant School At Walnut Hill College is a private for-profit institution. Early-career culinary arts graduates from The Restaurant School At Walnut Hill College make a median of around $37,694 per year.
Suny College Of Technology At Delhi earned the #18 position for culinary arts graduate earnings this year. Suny College Of Technology At Delhi is a public school located in the rural area of Delhi. Early-career culinary arts graduates from Suny College Of Technology At Delhi make a median of around $34,776 per year.
Institute Of Culinary Education placed #19 among the highest-paying schools for culinary arts. Set in the city of New York, Institute Of Culinary Education is a private for-profit institution. Culinary Arts graduates of Institute Of Culinary Education earn a median of about $22,759 a year early in their careers.
Niagara County Community College came in at #20 for culinary arts graduate earnings this year. Niagara County Community College is a public school located in the rural area of Sanborn. Culinary Arts graduates of Niagara County Community College earn a median of about $31,183 a year early in their careers.
Pennsylvania College Of Technology came in at #21 for culinary arts graduate earnings this year. Pennsylvania College Of Technology is a public school located in the city of Williamsport. After graduating, culinary arts degree recipients from Pennsylvania College Of Technology typically earn about $32,090 annually.
Suny College Of Agriculture And Technology At Cobleskill came in at #22 for culinary arts graduate earnings this year. Located in the town of Cobleskill, Suny College Of Agriculture And Technology At Cobleskill is a public institution. After graduating, culinary arts degree recipients from Suny College Of Agriculture And Technology At Cobleskill typically earn about $30,497 annually.
Ocean County Vocational Technical School earned the #23 position for culinary arts graduate earnings this year. Set in the suburb of Toms River, Ocean County Vocational Technical School is a public institution. Culinary Arts graduates of Ocean County Vocational Technical School earn a median of about $16,566 a year early in their careers.
Suny College Of Technology At Alfred earned the #24 position for culinary arts graduate earnings this year. Located in the rural area of Alfred, Suny College Of Technology At Alfred is a public institution. Culinary Arts graduates of Suny College Of Technology At Alfred earn a median of about $26,598 a year early in their careers.
Monroe College Main Campus landed the #25 spot for culinary arts salaries this year. Set in the city of Bronx, Monroe College Main Campus is a private for-profit institution. Students who complete the culinary arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $28,947.
Not far behind, these schools also produced high-earning culinary arts graduates:
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their culinary arts graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 27 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.