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2023 Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Colleges for Veterans

130 Ranked Colleges
6,800 Degrees Awarded
$25,593 Avg Salary
Most Veteran Friendly for Culinary Arts for an Associate

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, veterans have many different options to choose from. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Most Veteran Friendly for Culinary Arts for an Associate” ranking is part of that endeavor.

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.

At the associate degree level specifically, there were 6,800 culinary arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $35,806 and $19,336 respectively.

For this year’s “Most Veteran Friendly for Culinary Arts for an Associate” ranking, we looked at 130 colleges that offer a degree in culinary arts. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great culinary arts programs and a strong support system for veterans and active service members.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the culinary arts program at the school, veteran affordability, and veteran satisfaction. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Culinary Arts Schools

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Culinary Arts Rankings Other Ranking Categories

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Most Veteran Friendly for Culinary Arts for an Associate” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Most Veteran Friendly for Culinary Arts for an Associate

The colleges and universities below are the best for associate degree vets studying culinary arts.

Top 25 Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Colleges for Veterans

1
ECPI University crest
ECPI University
Virginia Beach, Virginia

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend ECPI University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Culinary Arts for an Associate list. This fairly large school is located in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and it awarded 136 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2020-2021.

ECPI University also took the #6 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools” ranking.Among the 14,353 students enrolled at ECPI University, 12 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 9 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $8,344. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

[Read full report on veteran student life at ECPI University]](/colleges/ecpi-university/student-life/veterans/)

2

Out of the 130 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly for Culinary Arts for an Associate that were part of this year’s ranking, Culinary Institute of America landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Hyde Park, New York, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 665 diplomas to qualified associates’s culinary arts students in 2020-2021.

The Culinary Institute of America also made our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools” list, coming in at #1.Of the 3,231 students enrolled at The Culinary Institute of America, 51 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 34 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $13,102. In addition to receiving other benefits, 26 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. The Culinary Institute of America offers credit for military training for eligible students.

[Read full report on veteran student life at The Culinary Institute of America]](/colleges/culinary-institute-of-america/student-life/veterans/)

3
Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale crest
Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Out of the 130 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly for Culinary Arts for an Associate that were part of this year’s ranking, Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale landed the #3 spot on the list. Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale is a fairly large school located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida that handed out 58 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 75 of the 20,330 students enrolled at Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale were GI Bill® students, of which 56 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $17,004. In addition to receiving other benefits, 21 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Read More…

4
CPTC crest
Clover Park Technical College
Lakewood, Washington

Out of the 130 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly for Culinary Arts for an Associate that were part of this year’s ranking, Clover Park Technical College landed the #4 spot on the list. This small school is located in Lakewood, Washington, and it awarded 15 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2020-2021.

CPTC also took the #8 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools” ranking.According to our most recent data, CPTC supports 3,591 students, and 592 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 0 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Full CPTC Veteran Student Life Report

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Johnson & Wales University - Charlotte. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Culinary Arts for an Associate list. Johnson & Wales University - Charlotte is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Charlotte, North Carolina. It awarded 206 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2020-2021.

JWU Charlotte not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools” list.According to our most recent data, JWU Charlotte supports 1,396 students, and 150 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 78 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $16,543. To help with additional expenses, 12 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. JWU Charlotte does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

Full JWU Charlotte Veteran Student Life Report

6
NLU crest
National Louis University
Chicago, Illinois

National Louis University ranked #6 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Culinary Arts for an Associate list. NLU is a medium-sized school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 43 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our associate degree vets studying culinary arts list, NLU has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools” ranking.Of the 7,402 students enrolled at National Louis University, 15 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 14 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $9,078. To help with additional expenses, 1 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. National Louis University offers credit for military training for eligible students.

Read More…

7

Indiana University of Pennsylvania - Main Campus landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Culinary Arts for an Associate ranking. IUP is a public institution located in Indiana, Pennsylvania. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 14 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.

IUP did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools” list.Our most recent data shows that 298 of the 10,037 students enrolled at Indiana University of Pennsylvania - Main Campus were GI Bill® students, of which 109 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $5,600. On top of their other funding sources, 1 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Read More…

8

Johnson County Community College ranked #8 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Culinary Arts for an Associate list. JCCC is a public institution located in Overland Park, Kansas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 21 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our associate degree vets studying culinary arts list, JCCC has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 389 of the 13,891 students enrolled at JCCC were GI Bill® students, of which 221 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $1,331. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

[Read full report on veteran student life at JCCC]](/colleges/johnson-county-community-college/student-life/veterans/)

9
Baker College crest
Baker College
Owosso, Michigan

Baker College landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Culinary Arts for an Associate ranking. Owosso, Michigan is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out associates’s culinary arts degrees to 41 students in 2020-2021.

Among the 6,028 students enrolled at Baker College, 173 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 143 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,169. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read More…

10
Valencia College crest
Valencia College
Orlando, Florida

Valencia College landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Culinary Arts for an Associate ranking. Valencia College is a large school located in Orlando, Florida that handed out 55 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Valencia College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools” list.Among the 45,949 students enrolled at Valencia College, 1,809 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 965 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $1,696. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Valencia College offers credit for military training for eligible students.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Valencia College]](/colleges/valencia-college/student-life/veterans/)

11
Sullivan University crest
Sullivan University
Louisville, Kentucky

Sullivan University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Culinary Arts for an Associate ranking. Sullivan University is located in Louisville, Kentucky and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 80 associates’s culinary arts degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our associate degree vets studying culinary arts list, Sullivan University has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools” ranking.According to our most recent data, Sullivan University supports 3,165 students, and 52 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 32 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $10,619. On top of their other funding sources, 2 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Sullivan University]](/colleges/sullivan-university/student-life/veterans/)

12
Wake Technical Community College crest
Wake Technical Community College
Raleigh, North Carolina

With a ranking of #12, Wake Technical Community College did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Culinary Arts for an Associate list. Wake Technical Community College is located in Raleigh, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 23 associates’s culinary arts degrees to qualified students.

Wake Technical Community College also made our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools” list, coming in at #14.Among the 21,760 students enrolled at Wake Technical Community College, 1,066 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 564 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $1,224. In addition to receiving other benefits, 6 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Read More…

13
Monroe College crest
Monroe College
Bronx, New York

Monroe College ranked #13 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Culinary Arts for an Associate list. Bronx, New York is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out associates’s culinary arts degrees to 41 students in 2020-2021.

Our most recent data shows that 210 of the 6,541 students enrolled at Monroe College were GI Bill® students, of which 153 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $12,791. On top of their other funding sources, 3 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Monroe College]](/colleges/monroe-college-main-campus/student-life/veterans/)

14

Houston Community College ranked #14 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Culinary Arts for an Associate list. Houston Community College is a public institution located in Houston, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 45 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Among the 48,329 students enrolled at Houston Community College, 1,421 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 783 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $1,632. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Houston Community College]](/colleges/houston-community-college/student-life/veterans/)

15

Kapiolani Community College ranked #15 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Culinary Arts for an Associate list. Kapiolani Community College is a medium-sized school located in Honolulu, Hawaii that handed out 54 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Kapiolani CC, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools” ranking.Among the 6,369 students enrolled at Kapiolani Community College, 415 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 360 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $1,923. On top of their other funding sources, 22 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Kapiolani Community College does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

Read More…

16
MDC crest
Miami Dade College
Miami, Florida

Miami Dade College did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Culinary Arts for an Associate ranking, coming in at #16. Located in Miami, Florida, this large public school handed out 64 diplomas to qualified associates’s culinary arts students in 2020-2021.

MDC also took the #21 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 907 of the 46,523 students enrolled at MDC were GI Bill® students, of which 607 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $2,371. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Full Miami Dade College Veteran Student Life Report

16
St Philip's College crest
St Philip's College
San Antonio, Texas

St Philip’s College did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Culinary Arts for an Associate ranking, coming in at #16. St Philip’s College is a fairly large public school situated in San Antonio, Texas. It awarded 36 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Of the 12,696 students enrolled at St Philip’s College, 1,363 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1,105 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $1,089. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Read More…

18

With a ranking of #18, Central Oregon Community College did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Culinary Arts for an Associate list. COCC is a small school located in Bend, Oregon that handed out 14 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2020-2021.

According to our most recent data, Central Oregon Community College supports 4,304 students, and 414 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 344 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $7,849. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Central Oregon Community College does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

Full Central Oregon Community College Veteran Student Life Report

19
Saint Paul College crest
Saint Paul College
Saint Paul, Minnesota

Saint Paul College ranked #19 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Culinary Arts for an Associate list. Saint Paul College is a medium-sized public school situated in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It awarded 21 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Saint Paul College also made our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools” list, coming in at #3.Of the 5,823 students enrolled at Saint Paul College, 79 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 50 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $2,549. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Full Saint Paul College Veteran Student Life Report

20

Cincinnati State Technical and Community College did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Culinary Arts for an Associate ranking, coming in at #20. Cincinnati State is a medium-sized public school situated in Cincinnati, Ohio. It awarded 39 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Cincinnati State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools” list.Our most recent data shows that 271 of the 6,873 students enrolled at Cincinnati State were GI Bill® students, of which 222 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $3,512. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College]](/colleges/cincinnati-state-technical-and-community-college/student-life/veterans/)

21
Penn College crest
Pennsylvania College of Technology
Williamsport, Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania College of Technology ranked #21 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Culinary Arts for an Associate list. Pennsylvania College of Technology is a small public school situated in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. It awarded 17 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Our most recent data shows that 289 of the 4,565 students enrolled at Pennsylvania College of Technology were GI Bill® students, of which 206 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $11,863. During this same period, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Full Penn College Veteran Student Life Report

22
North Shore Community College crest
North Shore Community College
Danvers, Massachusetts

North Shore Community College ranked #22 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Culinary Arts for an Associate list. North Shore Community College is a small public school situated in Danvers, Massachusetts. It awarded 8 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, North Shore Community College also did well on our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools” list.According to our most recent data, North Shore Community College supports 4,783 students, and 231 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 186 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,024. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

[Read full report on veteran student life at North Shore Community College]](/colleges/north-shore-community-college/student-life/veterans/)

23
Nassau Community College crest
Nassau Community College
Garden City, New York

Nassau Community College landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Culinary Arts for an Associate ranking. Nassau Community College is located in Garden City, New York and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 20 associates’s culinary arts degrees to qualified students.

Our most recent data shows that 217 of the 13,864 students enrolled at Nassau Community College were GI Bill® students, of which 141 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $3,692. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Nassau Community College]](/colleges/nassau-community-college/student-life/veterans/)

24

Savannah Technical College did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Culinary Arts for an Associate ranking, coming in at #24. Savannah Tech is located in Savannah, Georgia and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 20 associates’s culinary arts degrees to qualified students.

Our most recent data shows that 841 of the 3,649 students enrolled at Savannah Technical College were GI Bill® students, of which 463 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $1,598. To help with additional expenses, 34 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Savannah Technical College offers credit for military training for eligible students.

Full Savannah Technical College Veteran Student Life Report

25
Central Piedmont Community College crest
Central Piedmont Community College
Charlotte, North Carolina

With a ranking of #25, Central Piedmont Community College did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Culinary Arts for an Associate list. Central Piedmont Community College is a public institution located in Charlotte, North Carolina. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 31 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Central Piedmont Community College also took the #22 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools” ranking.Among the 16,668 students enrolled at Central Piedmont Community College, 619 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 301 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $1,195. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Full Central Piedmont Community College Veteran Student Life Report

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

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