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. The highest-paying schools turn a culinary arts degree into the strongest early-career earnings.
For its 2026 highest-paid-graduates ranking, College Factual looked at 14 schools to find where culinary arts graduates earn the most.
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Below are the schools whose culinary arts graduates go on to earn the most.
Austin Community College District tops our 2026 list of the highest-paying culinary arts schools in Texas. Austin Community College District is a public school located in the city of Austin. After graduating, culinary arts degree recipients from Austin Community College District typically earn about $38,732 annually.
Collin County Community College District produces some of the highest-paid graduates in culinary arts, landing the #2 spot this year. Collin County Community College District is a public school located in the suburb of McKinney. Early-career culinary arts graduates from Collin County Community College District make a median of around $37,524 per year.
Strong graduate earnings at El Centro College earned it the #3 place for culinary arts. Set in the city of Dallas, El Centro College is a public institution. After graduating, culinary arts degree recipients from El Centro College typically earn about $30,795 annually.
Tarrant County College District came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying culinary arts schools. Set in the city of Fort Worth, Tarrant County College District is a public institution. Culinary Arts graduates of Tarrant County College District earn a median of about $31,444 a year early in their careers.
A rank of #5 makes San Jacinto Community College one of the highest-paying schools for culinary arts. San Jacinto Community College is a public school located in the city of Pasadena. After graduating, culinary arts degree recipients from San Jacinto Community College typically earn about $31,891 annually.
St Philips College earned the #6 position for culinary arts graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of San Antonio, St Philips College is a public institution. Students who complete the culinary arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $30,913.
Texas State Technical College landed the #7 spot for culinary arts salaries this year. Texas State Technical College is a public school located in the city of Waco. Early-career culinary arts graduates from Texas State Technical College make a median of around $31,723 per year.
The Culinary School Of Fort Worth came in at #8 for culinary arts graduate earnings this year. The Culinary School Of Fort Worth is a private for-profit school located in the city of Fort Worth. Early-career culinary arts graduates from The Culinary School Of Fort Worth make a median of around $21,608 per year.
Culinary Institute Inc came in at #9 for culinary arts graduate earnings this year. Culinary Institute Inc is a private for-profit school located in the city of Houston. Students who complete the culinary arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $27,534.
South Texas College placed #10 among the highest-paying schools for culinary arts. South Texas College is a public school located in the city of McAllen. After graduating, culinary arts degree recipients from South Texas College typically earn about $26,380 annually.
Texarkana College came in at #11 for culinary arts graduate earnings this year. Texarkana College is a public school located in the city of Texarkana. Early-career culinary arts graduates from Texarkana College make a median of around $19,284 per year.
Auguste Escoffier School Of Culinary Arts Austin landed the #12 spot for culinary arts salaries this year. Set in the city of Austin, Auguste Escoffier School Of Culinary Arts Austin is a private for-profit institution. Students who complete the culinary arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $28,704.
El Paso Community College came in at #13 for culinary arts graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of El Paso, El Paso Community College is a public institution. After graduating, culinary arts degree recipients from El Paso Community College typically earn about $27,047 annually.
Houston Community College came in at #14 for culinary arts graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Houston, Houston Community College is a public institution. After graduating, culinary arts degree recipients from Houston Community College typically earn about $22,509 annually.
The ranking above is published 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 · 14 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.