2027 Best Value Restaurant, Culinary Catering Management/Manager Schools in the Southwest Region

[Restaurant, Culinary Catering Management/Manager](/majors/personal-and-culinary-services/culinary-arts/restaurant-culinary-and-catering-management-manager/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 11 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for restaurant, culinary catering management/manager students.
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2027 Best Value Restaurant, Culinary Catering Management/Manager Schools in the Southwest Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in restaurant, culinary catering management/manager, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Restaurant, Culinary Catering Management/Manager Schools
Leading the list is Pima Community College, our #1 best value for restaurant, culinary catering management/manager in the Southwest Region. Pima Community College is a very large public school located in the city of Tucson. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,442, while out-of-state students pay about $7,758. Typical student debt for restaurant, culinary catering management/manager graduates is $10,655. Soon after graduation, restaurant, culinary catering management/manager degree recipients from Pima Community College generally make around $40,977. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at El Paso Community College earned it the #2 place for restaurant, culinary catering management/manager. Located in the city of El Paso, El Paso Community College is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $3,274 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $5,314. Typical student debt for restaurant, culinary catering management/manager graduates is $8,542. Restaurant, Culinary Catering Management/manager graduates of El Paso Community College earn a median of $29,086 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $8,542 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at St Philips College earned it the #3 place for restaurant, culinary catering management/manager. St Philips College is a very large public school located in the city of San Antonio. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,412, with out-of-state students paying around $9,952. Restaurant, Culinary Catering Management/manager graduates carry a median of $15,653 in student loans. Soon after graduation, restaurant, culinary catering management/manager degree recipients from St Philips College generally make around $45,185. Set against $15,653 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Central New Mexico Community College earned it the #4 place for restaurant, culinary catering management/manager. Set in the city of Albuquerque, Central New Mexico Community College is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $2,060, with out-of-state students paying around $8,684. Typical student debt for restaurant, culinary catering management/manager graduates is $10,112. Early-career restaurant, culinary catering management/manager graduates make about $23,139. That is a strong return on a $10,112 median debt.
A rank of #5 makes Odessa College one of the best values for restaurant, culinary catering management/manager. Set in the city of Odessa, Odessa College is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $2,688, with out-of-state students paying around $4,926. Typical student debt for restaurant, culinary catering management/manager graduates is $9,087. Early-career restaurant, culinary catering management/manager graduates make about $47,856. Set against $9,087 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Arizona Western College ranked #6 on our 2027 list of the best value restaurant, culinary catering management/manager schools. Set in the city of Yuma, Arizona Western College is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,060, with out-of-state students paying around $9,870. Restaurant, Culinary Catering Management/manager graduates of Arizona Western College earn a median of $44,895 early in their careers.
San Jacinto Community College placed #7 among the best values for restaurant, culinary catering management/manager. Located in the city of Pasadena, San Jacinto Community College is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,490, while out-of-state students pay about $6,690. Typical student debt for restaurant, culinary catering management/manager graduates is $11,376. Soon after graduation, restaurant, culinary catering management/manager degree recipients from San Jacinto Community College generally make around $38,107. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Scottsdale Community College earned the #8 position for value in restaurant, culinary catering management/manager this year. Scottsdale Community College is a large public school located in the rural area of Scottsdale. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,358, with out-of-state students paying around $8,959. Restaurant, Culinary Catering Management/manager graduates carry a median of $13,084 in student loans. Early-career restaurant, culinary catering management/manager graduates make about $48,039. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Remington College Houston Southeast Campus placed #9 among the best values for restaurant, culinary catering management/manager. Set in the suburb of League City, Remington College Houston Southeast Campus is a small private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $16,926 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $9,500 to complete the restaurant, culinary catering management/manager program here. Soon after graduation, restaurant, culinary catering management/manager degree recipients from Remington College Houston Southeast Campus generally make around $25,908. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Remington College Dallas Campus placed #10 among the best values for restaurant, culinary catering management/manager. Located in the city of Dallas, Remington College Dallas Campus is a small private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $15,876 in tuition and fees. Restaurant, Culinary Catering Management/manager graduates carry a median of $9,500 in student loans. Restaurant, Culinary Catering Management/manager graduates of Remington College Dallas Campus earn a median of $29,543 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Culinary Institute Inc landed the #11 spot for restaurant, culinary catering management/manager value this year. Set in the city of Houston, Culinary Institute Inc is a small private for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $18,803. Restaurant, Culinary Catering Management/manager graduates carry a median of $20,144 in student loans. Early-career restaurant, culinary catering management/manager graduates make about $24,664. Set against $20,144 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 11 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 11 ranked schools only.
- 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.