College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2024 Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region

19 Colleges in the Great Lakes Region
713 Associate Degrees
$26,143 Avg Early-Career Salary
If you pursue a associate degree in culinary arts, you won't be alone. The field of study is the #23 most popular program in the country. So, there are lots of possibilities to explore when you're trying to determine where you want to get your degree.

In 2024, College Factual analyzed 19 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 713 associate degrees in culinary arts to qualified students.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology

Choosing a Great Culinary Arts School for Your Associate Degree

Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region The culinary arts associate degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. Below we explain some of the most important factors to consider before making your choice:

Overall Quality Is a Must

The overall quality of a associate degree school is important to ensure a good education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.

Average Early-Career Salaries

To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving their associate degree from the school. After all, your associate degree won't mean much if it doesn't help you find a job that will help you earn a living.

Other Factors We Consider

In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:

Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for culinary arts students working on their associate degree.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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 Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list, to help you choose the best school for you.


 

Best Schools for Associate Students to Study Culinary Arts in the Great Lakes Region

Below you'll see a list of the best colleges and universities for pursuing an associate degree in culinary arts.

10 Top Great Lakes Region Schools for an Associate in Culinary Arts

1
43 Annual Graduates
$31,385 Median Starting Salary
$17,500 Median Student Debt

National Louis University is one of the best schools in the country for getting an associate degree in culinary arts. Located in the city of Chicago, NLU is a private not-for-profit university with a medium-sized student population.

Culinary Arts associate degree recipients from National Louis University receive an earnings boost of approximately $5,242 over the typical earnings of culinary arts majors.

More information about a associate in culinary arts from National Louis University

2

Madison Area Technical College is a great choice for individuals interested in an associate degree in culinary arts. Located in the large city of Madison, Madison College is a public college with a fairly large student population.

Culinary Arts associate degree recipients from Madison Area Technical College get an earnings boost of around $3,560 above the typical earnings of culinary arts majors.

More information about a associate in culinary arts from Madison Area Technical College

3
15 Annual Graduates

Chippewa Valley Technical College is one of the best schools in the United States for getting an associate degree in culinary arts. Located in the city of Eau Claire, CVTC is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.More information about a associate in culinary arts from Chippewa Valley Technical College

4
39 Annual Graduates
$30,232 Median Starting Salary
$12,145 Median Student Debt

It is difficult to beat Cincinnati State Technical and Community College if you wish to pursue an associate degree in culinary arts. Located in the large city of Cincinnati, Cincinnati State is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.

Those culinary arts students who get their associate degree from Cincinnati State Technical and Community College earn $4,089 more than the standard culinary arts student.

More information about a associate in culinary arts from Cincinnati State Technical and Community College

5
21 Annual Graduates
$27,277 Median Starting Salary
$19,386 Median Student Debt

MATC is a large public college located in the large city of Milwaukee.

Students who graduate with their associate from the culinary arts program state that they receive average early career income of $27,277.

More information about a associate in culinary arts from Milwaukee Area Technical College

6

WCTC is a medium-sized public college located in the suburb of Pewaukee.

Associate recipients from the culinary arts degree program at Waukesha County Technical College get $4,508 above the standard college graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.

More information about a associate in culinary arts from Waukesha County Technical College

7
28 Annual Graduates
$26,546 Median Starting Salary
$15,125 Median Student Debt

Grand Rapids Community College is a fairly large public college located in the city of Grand Rapids.

Students who graduate with their associate from the culinary arts program report average early career wages of $26,546.

More information about a associate in culinary arts from Grand Rapids Community College

8
Baker College crest
Baker College
Owosso, MI
41 Annual Graduates
$28,205 Median Starting Salary
$12,000 Median Student Debt

Located in the town of Owosso, Baker College is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.

Associate recipients from the culinary arts program at Baker College get $2,062 more than the standard graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.

More information about a associate in culinary arts from Baker College

9
20 Annual Graduates
$24,945 Median Starting Salary
$14,234 Median Student Debt

FVTC is a fairly large public college located in the medium-sized suburb of Appleton.

After graduation, culinary arts associate recipients usually make about $24,945 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a associate in culinary arts from Fox Valley Technical College

9
38 Annual Graduates
$28,507 Median Starting Salary
$15,750 Median Student Debt

Located in the city of Livonia, Schoolcraft College is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.

Those culinary arts students who get their associate degree from Schoolcraft College make $2,364 more than the standard culinary arts graduate.

More information about a associate in culinary arts from Schoolcraft College

Best Culinary Arts Colleges by State

Explore the best culinary arts colleges for a specific state in the Great Lakes Region .

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Ohio 196 133
Michigan 192 224
Indiana 123 12
Illinois 119 238
Wisconsin 114 106

View All Rankings >

Culinary Arts is one of 4 different types of Personal & Culinary Services programs to choose from.

Culinary Arts Concentrations

Major Annual Graduates
Culinary Arts/Chef Training 493
Baking & Pastry Arts/Baker/Pastry Chef 141
Restaurant, Culinary, & Catering Management/Manager 61
Other Culinary Arts & Related Services 8
Food Preparation/Professional Cooking/Kitchen Assistant 4
Institutional Food Workers 4
General Cooking & Related Culinary Arts 2

Related Major Annual Graduates
Funeral & Mortuary Science 182
Cosmetology 54
Other Personal & Culinary Services 1

Notes and References

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options