2027 Best Culinary Arts Schools in North Carolina
Culinary Arts is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. The schools below stand out for the quality of their culinary arts programs.
For its 2027 ranking, College Factual looked at 13 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for culinary arts students pursuing a degree.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for Culinary Arts in North Carolina
If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the culinary arts degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in Culinary Arts
Our analysis ranked Johnson And Wales University Charlotte the best school in the country for a degree in culinary arts. Johnson And Wales University Charlotte is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Charlotte. About 34% of students finish within six years. About 182 culinary arts degrees were awarded at Johnson And Wales University Charlotte in the most recent year. Culinary Arts graduates of Johnson And Wales University Charlotte earn a median of $30,145 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $20,873 to complete this degree.
Read more about the culinary arts program at Johnson And Wales University Charlotte
Wake Technical Community College is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in culinary arts, ranking #2. This very large public university is located in the suburb of Raleigh. Wake Technical Community College awarded about 137 culinary arts degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the culinary arts program make about $38,673 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $13,226.
Read more about the culinary arts program at Wake Technical Community College
Central Piedmont Community College is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in culinary arts, ranking #3. Central Piedmont Community College is a very large public school located in the city of Charlotte. Central Piedmont Community College awarded about 159 culinary arts degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, culinary arts degree recipients from Central Piedmont Community College generally make around $27,127. Typical student debt for the program is $11,861.
More information about a degree in culinary arts from Central Piedmont Community College
Fayetteville Technical Community College came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best culinary arts schools. Fayetteville Technical Community College is a large public school located in the city of Fayetteville. There were roughly 43 culinary arts students who graduated with this degree at Fayetteville Technical Community College in the most recent data year. Students who receive their culinary arts degree from Fayetteville Technical Community College earn around $40,584 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $16,909.
See the full culinary arts program report for Fayetteville Technical Community College
Wilkes Community College is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in culinary arts, landing the #5 spot this year. Wilkes Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Wilkesboro. About 54 culinary arts degrees were awarded at Wilkes Community College in the most recent year. Graduates of the culinary arts program make about $36,341 in their early career. Wilkes Community College graduates carry a median of $9,125 in student loans.
More information about a degree in culinary arts from Wilkes Community College
Cape Fear Community College landed the #6 spot for culinary arts this year. Set in the city of Wilmington, Cape Fear Community College is a very large public institution. Cape Fear Community College awarded about 44 culinary arts degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, culinary arts degree recipients from Cape Fear Community College generally make around $42,889. Students borrow a median of $12,388 to complete this degree.
Get the full culinary arts details for Cape Fear Community College
Mitchell Community College landed the #7 spot for culinary arts this year. Set in the town of Statesville, Mitchell Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. About 16 culinary arts degrees were awarded at Mitchell Community College in the most recent year. Culinary Arts graduates of Mitchell Community College earn a median of $40,450 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $6,313.
Read more about the culinary arts program at Mitchell Community College
Sandhills Community College landed the #8 spot for culinary arts this year. Located in the rural area of Pinehurst, Sandhills Community College is a moderately-sized public university. Sandhills Community College awarded about 19 culinary arts degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their culinary arts degree from Sandhills Community College earn around $46,492 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $9,238 to complete this degree.
See the full culinary arts program report for Sandhills Community College
Central Carolina Community College came in at #9 for culinary arts this year. Central Carolina Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Sanford. There were roughly 15 culinary arts students who graduated with this degree at Central Carolina Community College in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, culinary arts degree recipients from Central Carolina Community College generally make around $38,198. Central Carolina Community College graduates carry a median of $10,266 in student loans.
Get the full culinary arts details for Central Carolina Community College
Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College earned the #10 position for culinary arts this year. This moderately-sized public university is located in the city of Asheville. About 80 culinary arts degrees were awarded at Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College in the most recent year. Students who receive their culinary arts degree from Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College earn around $32,602 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $18,883.
Read more about the culinary arts program at Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College
Guilford Technical Community College landed the #11 spot for culinary arts this year. This large public university is located in the suburb of Jamestown. There were roughly 40 culinary arts students who graduated with this degree at Guilford Technical Community College in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, culinary arts degree recipients from Guilford Technical Community College generally make around $14,813. Students borrow a median of $32,169 to complete this degree.
Get the full culinary arts details for Guilford Technical Community College
College Of The Albemarle landed the #12 spot for culinary arts this year. This mid-sized public university is located in the town of Elizabeth City. About 14 culinary arts degrees were awarded at College Of The Albemarle in the most recent year. Graduates of the culinary arts program make about $50,506 in their early career. College Of The Albemarle graduates carry a median of $10,240 in student loans.
Get the full culinary arts details for College Of The Albemarle
Carteret Community College landed the #13 spot for culinary arts this year. Carteret Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Morehead City. There were roughly 33 culinary arts students who graduated with this degree at Carteret Community College in the most recent data year. Students who receive their culinary arts degree from Carteret Community College earn around $48,953 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $5,566.
Read more about the culinary arts program at Carteret Community College
More Culinary Arts Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 13 schools evaluated.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
