by our College Data Analytics Team
[Culinary Arts](/majors/personal-and-culinary-services/culinary-arts/) is a field where your choice of school can shape what you earn after graduation. A top-earning program sends graduates into careers with strong starting pay.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 7 schools on the early-career earnings of their culinary arts graduates.
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Below are the schools whose culinary arts graduates go on to earn the most.
Our analysis ranked Capital Community College the top school for culinary arts graduate earnings in the New England Region. Set in the city of New Britain, Capital Community College is a public institution. Early-career culinary arts graduates from Capital Community College make a median of around $53,983 per year.
Students chasing top earnings in culinary arts will find them at Southern Maine Community College, which ranked #2. Southern Maine Community College is a public school located in the city of South Portland. After graduating, culinary arts degree recipients from Southern Maine Community College typically earn about $41,344 annually.
Strong graduate earnings at Lincoln Technical Institute Shelton earned it the #3 place for culinary arts. Lincoln Technical Institute Shelton is a private for-profit school located in the city of Shelton. After graduating, culinary arts degree recipients from Lincoln Technical Institute Shelton typically earn about $33,904 annually.
A rank of #4 makes Massasoit Community College one of the highest-paying schools for culinary arts. Massasoit Community College is a public school located in the suburb of Brockton. After graduating, culinary arts degree recipients from Massasoit Community College typically earn about $31,710 annually.
A rank of #5 makes Johnson And Wales University Providence one of the highest-paying schools for culinary arts. Johnson And Wales University Providence is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Providence. Students who complete the culinary arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $37,681.
Johnson And Wales University Online placed #6 among the highest-paying schools for culinary arts. Located in the city of Providence, Johnson And Wales University Online is a private not-for-profit institution. Culinary Arts graduates of Johnson And Wales University Online earn a median of about $36,778 a year early in their careers.
Kennebec Valley Community College placed #7 among the highest-paying schools for culinary arts. Kennebec Valley Community College is a public school located in the town of Fairfield. Early-career culinary arts graduates from Kennebec Valley Community College make a median of around $28,893 per year.
This list is compiled 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 · 7 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.