2024 Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Southeast Region
Ranked #23 in popularity,
culinary arts is one of the most sought-after associate degree programs in the nation. This means there are lots of options to choose from when you decide to get your degree.
In 2024, College Factual analyzed 41 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 1,687 associate degrees in culinary arts to qualified students.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
Choosing a Great Culinary Arts School for Your Associate Degree
Your choice of culinary arts for getting your associate degree school matters. Important measures of a quality culinary arts program can vary widely even among the top schools. To make it into this list, a school must excel in the following areas.
A Great Overall School
A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To take this into account we consider a college's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a host of different factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
Early-Career Earnings
Average early-career salary of those graduating with their associate degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. That is, everyone wants their associate degree to be worth something, and salaries are one measure of determining that.
Other Factors We Consider
The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.
- Major Focus - How much a school focuses on culinary arts students vs. other majors.
- Major Demand - How many other culinary arts students want to attend this school to pursue a associate degree.
- Educational Resources - How many resources are allocated to students. These resources may include educational expenditures per student, number of students per instructor, and graduation rate among other things.
- Student Debt - How easy is it for culinary arts to pay back their student loans after receiving their associate degree.
- Accreditation - Whether a school is regionally accredited and/or accredited by a recognized culinary arts related body.
Our complete 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.
More Ways to Rank Culinary Arts Schools
The culinary arts school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we've developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of the Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Southeast Region.
Best Schools for Associate Students to Study Culinary Arts in the Southeast Region
Learn about the top ranked colleges and universities for culinary arts students seeking a an associate degree.
10 Top Southeast Region Schools for an Associate in Culinary Arts
It is hard to beat Valencia College if you wish to pursue an associate degree in culinary arts. Valencia College is a very large public college located in the large city of Orlando.
Associate students who receive their degree from the culinary arts program make about $24,166 in the first couple years of their career.
More information about a associate in culinary arts from Valencia College
Johnson & Wales University - Charlotte is a good decision for individuals pursuing an associate degree in culinary arts. JWU Charlotte is a small private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Charlotte.
Associate graduates who receive their degree from the culinary arts program make about $26,084 in their early career salary.
More information about a associate in culinary arts from Johnson & Wales University - Charlotte
ECPI University is a good option for students interested in an associate degree in culinary arts. Located in the city of Virginia Beach, ECPI University is a private for-profit university with a large student population.
Students who graduate with their associate from the culinary arts program report average early career wages of $22,745.
More information about a associate in culinary arts from ECPI University
Sullivan University is one of the finest schools in the country for getting an associate degree in culinary arts. Located in the city of Louisville, Sullivan University is a private for-profit university with a small student population.
Associate students who receive their degree from the culinary arts program make an average of $23,826 in their early career salary.
More information about a associate in culinary arts from Sullivan University
Wake Technical Community College is a fairly large public college located in the large suburb of Raleigh.
Those culinary arts students who get their associate degree from Wake Technical Community College earn $7,723 more than the average culinary arts graduate.
More information about a associate in culinary arts from Wake Technical Community College