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. The schools below stand out for the salaries their culinary arts graduates go on to command.
College Factual analyzed 7 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.
Wake Technical Community College tops our 2026 list of the highest-paying culinary arts schools in North Carolina. Wake Technical Community College is a public school located in the suburb of Raleigh. Students who complete the culinary arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $36,316.
Strong graduate earnings at Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College earned it the #2 place for culinary arts. Located in the city of Asheville, Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College is a public institution. Early-career culinary arts graduates from Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College make a median of around $33,786 per year.
Guilford Technical Community College produces some of the highest-paid graduates in culinary arts, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Jamestown, Guilford Technical Community College is a public institution. Early-career culinary arts graduates from Guilford Technical Community College make a median of around $31,175 per year.
Wilkes Community College produces some of the highest-paid graduates in culinary arts, landing the #4 spot this year. Wilkes Community College is a public school located in the town of Wilkesboro. Early-career culinary arts graduates from Wilkes Community College make a median of around $31,727 per year.
Fayetteville Technical Community College came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying culinary arts schools. Set in the city of Fayetteville, Fayetteville Technical Community College is a public institution. Students who complete the culinary arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $26,658.
Johnson And Wales University Charlotte placed #6 among the highest-paying schools for culinary arts. Set in the city of Charlotte, Johnson And Wales University Charlotte is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, culinary arts degree recipients from Johnson And Wales University Charlotte typically earn about $36,902 annually.
Central Piedmont Community College landed the #7 spot for culinary arts salaries this year. Located in the city of Charlotte, Central Piedmont Community College is a public institution. Early-career culinary arts graduates from Central Piedmont Community College make a median of around $30,521 per year.
This ranking is produced 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 · 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.