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.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 20 schools on the early-career earnings of their culinary arts graduates.
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If you want to know which schools send culinary arts graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
For graduate earnings in culinary arts, no school beat Scottsdale Community College this year. Scottsdale Community College is a public school located in the rural area of Scottsdale. After graduating, culinary arts degree recipients from Scottsdale Community College typically earn about $39,397 annually.
Students chasing top earnings in culinary arts will find them at Estrella Mountain Community College, which ranked #2. Located in the suburb of Avondale, Estrella Mountain Community College is a public institution. After graduating, culinary arts degree recipients from Estrella Mountain Community College typically earn about $33,303 annually.
Students chasing top earnings in culinary arts will find them at Austin Community College District, which ranked #3. Austin Community College District is a public school located in the city of Austin. Students who complete the culinary arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $38,732.
Students chasing top earnings in culinary arts will find them at Arizona Culinary Institute, which ranked #4. Arizona Culinary Institute is a private for-profit school located in the city of Scottsdale. Early-career culinary arts graduates from Arizona Culinary Institute make a median of around $34,396 per year.
Collin County Community College District produces some of the highest-paid graduates in culinary arts, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the suburb of McKinney, Collin County Community College District is a public institution. Early-career culinary arts graduates from Collin County Community College District make a median of around $37,524 per year.
El Centro College landed the #6 spot for culinary arts salaries this year. Located in the city of Dallas, El Centro College is a public institution. Culinary Arts graduates of El Centro College earn a median of about $30,795 a year early in their careers.
Tarrant County College District landed the #7 spot for culinary arts salaries this year. Tarrant County College District is a public school located in the city of Fort Worth. Students who complete the culinary arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $31,444.
San Jacinto Community College came in at #8 for culinary arts graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Pasadena, San Jacinto Community College is a public institution. After graduating, culinary arts degree recipients from San Jacinto Community College typically earn about $31,891 annually.
St Philips College landed the #9 spot for culinary arts salaries this year. Set in the city of San Antonio, St Philips College is a public institution. After graduating, culinary arts degree recipients from St Philips College typically earn about $30,913 annually.
Oklahoma State University Institute Of Technology Okmulgee landed the #10 spot for culinary arts salaries this year. Set in the town of Okmulgee, Oklahoma State University Institute Of Technology Okmulgee is a public institution. After graduating, culinary arts degree recipients from Oklahoma State University Institute Of Technology Okmulgee typically earn about $35,970 annually.
Texas State Technical College earned the #11 position for culinary arts graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Waco, Texas State Technical College is a public institution. Culinary Arts graduates of Texas State Technical College earn a median of about $31,723 a year early in their careers.
Francis Tuttle Technology Center landed the #12 spot for culinary arts salaries this year. Located in the city of Oklahoma City, Francis Tuttle Technology Center is a public institution. Culinary Arts graduates of Francis Tuttle Technology Center earn a median of about $26,421 a year early in their careers.
The Culinary School Of Fort Worth came in at #13 for culinary arts graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Fort Worth, The Culinary School Of Fort Worth is a private for-profit institution. Students who complete the culinary arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $21,608.
Culinary Institute Inc came in at #14 for culinary arts graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Houston, Culinary Institute Inc is a private for-profit institution. Early-career culinary arts graduates from Culinary Institute Inc make a median of around $27,534 per year.
South Texas College ranked #15 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying culinary arts schools. South Texas College is a public school located in the city of McAllen. Early-career culinary arts graduates from South Texas College make a median of around $26,380 per year.
Texarkana College earned the #16 position for culinary arts graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Texarkana, Texarkana College is a public institution. Early-career culinary arts graduates from Texarkana College make a median of around $19,284 per year.
Auguste Escoffier School Of Culinary Arts Austin placed #17 among the highest-paying schools for culinary arts. Set in the city of Austin, Auguste Escoffier School Of Culinary Arts Austin is a private for-profit institution. Early-career culinary arts graduates from Auguste Escoffier School Of Culinary Arts Austin make a median of around $28,704 per year.
El Paso Community College came in at #18 for culinary arts graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of El Paso, El Paso Community College is a public institution. Culinary Arts graduates of El Paso Community College earn a median of about $27,047 a year early in their careers.
Central New Mexico Community College placed #19 among the highest-paying schools for culinary arts. Located in the city of Albuquerque, Central New Mexico Community College is a public institution. Early-career culinary arts graduates from Central New Mexico Community College make a median of around $27,803 per year.
Houston Community College landed the #20 spot for culinary arts salaries this year. Houston Community College is a public school located in the city of Houston. Early-career culinary arts graduates from Houston Community College make a median of around $22,509 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 · 20 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.