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2023 Most Focused Associate Degree Colleges for Culinary Arts in the Southwest Region

44 Ranked Colleges
820 Degrees Awarded
$24,302 Avg Salary
Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Culinary Arts Major in the Southwest Region

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Culinary Arts Major in the Southwest Region” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2020-2021, 19,806 people earned their degree in culinary arts, making the major the 97th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, culinary arts graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $24,855 and had an average of $17,765 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Southwest region, there were 2,247 culinary arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $24,361 and $20,631 respectively. At the associate degree level specifically, there were 820 culinary arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $35,810 and $18,681 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Culinary Arts Major in the Southwest Region” ranking looked at 44 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in culinary arts. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their culinary arts program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Culinary Arts Major in the Southwest Region” list to help you make the college decision.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Culinary Arts Major in the Southwest Region

The colleges and universities below are the best for southwest region associate degree culinary arts students.

Top 25 Most Focused Associate Degree Colleges for Culinary Arts in the Southwest Region

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts - Austin. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Culinary Arts Major in the Southwest Region list. Located in Austin, Texas, this small private for-profit school awarded 224 degrees to qualified associates’s culinary arts students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Culinary Arts at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts - Austin

2
Culinary Institute LeNotre crest
Culinary Institute Inc
Houston, Texas

Out of the 44 schools in the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Culinary Arts Major in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Culinary Institute Inc landed the #2 spot on the list. Culinary Institute Inc is a private for-profit institution located in Houston, Texas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 55 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Culinary Arts at Culinary Institute Inc

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The Art Institute of Houston. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Culinary Arts Major in the Southwest Region. Ai Houston is located in Houston, Texas and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 19 associates’s culinary arts degrees to qualified students.

Read full report on Culinary Arts at The Art Institute of Houston

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The Art Institute of San Antonio. The school came in at #4 for the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Culinary Arts Major in the Southwest Region. Ai San Antonio is a small school located in San Antonio, Texas that handed out 11 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Ai San Antonio Culinary Arts Report

5

Out of the 44 schools in the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Culinary Arts Major in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s ranking, The Art Institute of Dallas landed the #5 spot on the list. The Art Institute of Dallas is located in Dallas, Texas and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 11 associates’s culinary arts degrees to qualified students.

Full The Art Institute of Dallas Culinary Arts Report

6

The Art Institute of Austin landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Culinary Arts Major in the Southwest Region ranking. The Art Institute of Austin is a small school located in Austin, Texas that handed out 6 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Full The Art Institute of Austin Culinary Arts Report

7

Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute ranked #7 on this year’s Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Culinary Arts Major in the Southwest Region list. Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute is a small public school situated in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It awarded 4 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Culinary Arts at SIPI

8
Navajo Tech crest
Navajo Technical University
Crownpoint, New Mexico

Navajo Technical University landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Culinary Arts Major in the Southwest Region ranking. Navajo Tech is a small school located in Crownpoint, New Mexico that handed out 6 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Culinary Arts at Navajo Tech

9

Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology ranked #9 on this year’s Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Culinary Arts Major in the Southwest Region list. Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology is a small public school situated in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. It awarded 24 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Culinary Arts at OSU Institute of Technology

10
Scottsdale Community College crest
Scottsdale Community College
Scottsdale, Arizona

Scottsdale Community College landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Culinary Arts Major in the Southwest Region ranking. Scottsdale Community College is a medium-sized school located in Scottsdale, Arizona that handed out 35 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Scottsdale Community College Culinary Arts Report

11
St Philip's College crest
St Philip's College
San Antonio, Texas

St Philip’s College landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Culinary Arts Major in the Southwest Region ranking. Located in San Antonio, Texas, this fairly large public school handed out 36 degrees to qualified associates’s culinary arts students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Culinary Arts at St Philip’s College

12

Texas State Technical College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Culinary Arts Major in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #12. Located in Waco, Texas, this fairly large public school handed out 28 diplomas to qualified associates’s culinary arts students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Culinary Arts at Texas State Technical College

13
Eastern crest
Eastern Oklahoma State College
Wilburton, Oklahoma

Eastern Oklahoma State College came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Culinary Arts Major in the Southwest Region ranking. Eastern Oklahoma State College is a public institution located in Wilburton, Oklahoma. The school has a small population, and it awarded 2 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Eastern Culinary Arts Report

14
Grayson College crest
Grayson College
Denison, Texas

Grayson College ranked #14 on this year’s Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Culinary Arts Major in the Southwest Region list. This small school is located in Denison, Texas, and it awarded 13 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Culinary Arts at Grayson College

15

New Mexico State University - Dona Ana landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Culinary Arts Major in the Southwest Region ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and it awarded 10 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Culinary Arts at NMSU Dona Ana

16

Alvin Community College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Culinary Arts Major in the Southwest Region ranking. Located in Alvin, Texas, this small public school handed out 8 diplomas to qualified associates’s culinary arts students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Culinary Arts at Alvin Community College

17

Houston Community College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Culinary Arts Major in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #17. Houston Community College is a large public school situated in Houston, Texas. It awarded 45 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Houston Community College Culinary Arts Report

18

Estrella Mountain Community College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Culinary Arts Major in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #18. Estrella Mountain Community College is a public institution located in Avondale, Arizona. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 15 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Estrella Mountain Community College Culinary Arts Report

19
Odessa College crest
Odessa College
Odessa, Texas

Odessa College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Culinary Arts Major in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #19. Located in Odessa, Texas, this medium-sized public school handed out 11 diplomas to qualified associates’s culinary arts students in 2020-2021.

Full Odessa College Culinary Arts Report

20
Kilgore College crest
Kilgore College
Kilgore, Texas

Kilgore College ranked #20 on this year’s Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Culinary Arts Major in the Southwest Region list. Kilgore, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s culinary arts degrees to 6 students in 2020-2021.

Full Kilgore College Culinary Arts Report

21
Texarkana College crest
Texarkana College
Texarkana, Texas

Texarkana College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Culinary Arts Major in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #21. Texarkana College is located in Texarkana, Texas and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 4 associates’s culinary arts degrees to qualified students.

Full Texarkana College Culinary Arts Report

22

El Paso Community College came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Culinary Arts Major in the Southwest Region ranking. El Paso Community College is a large school located in El Paso, Texas that handed out 23 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Culinary Arts at El Paso Community College

23
Lee College crest
Lee College
Baytown, Texas

Lee College ranked #23 on this year’s Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Culinary Arts Major in the Southwest Region list. Baytown, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s culinary arts degrees to 19 students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Culinary Arts at Lee College

24
South Texas College crest
South Texas College
McAllen, Texas

South Texas College ranked #24 on this year’s Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Culinary Arts Major in the Southwest Region list. South Texas College is a large school located in McAllen, Texas that handed out 27 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Full South Texas College Culinary Arts Report

25
Tyler Junior College crest
Tyler Junior College
Tyler, Texas

Tyler Junior College came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Culinary Arts Major in the Southwest Region ranking. This fairly large school is located in Tyler, Texas, and it awarded 12 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Culinary Arts at Tyler Junior College

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