2026 Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Schools in Washington
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in personal & culinary services, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Schools
For return on investment in personal & culinary services, no school beat Clover Park Technical College this year. Clover Park Technical College is a mid-sized public school located in the city of Lakewood. Students from in state pay about $6,634 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $11,000 to complete the personal & culinary services program here. Early-career personal & culinary services graduates make about $19,389. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in personal & culinary services will find it at Renton Technical College, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Renton, Renton Technical College is a mid-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,330, with out-of-state students paying around $7,768. Personal & Culinary Services graduates carry a median of $18,582 in student loans. Personal & Culinary Services graduates of Renton Technical College earn a median of $80,411 early in their careers. Set against $18,582 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Bellingham Technical College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in personal & culinary services, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Bellingham, Bellingham Technical College is a mid-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $4,431 in tuition and fees, compared with $5,809 for out-of-state students. Median earnings reach $49,748 ten years out.
A rank of #4 makes Lake Washington Institute Of Technology one of the best values for personal & culinary services. Set in the suburb of Kirkland, Lake Washington Institute Of Technology is a mid-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $5,997, compared with $12,062 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for personal & culinary services graduates is $19,695. Soon after graduation, personal & culinary services degree recipients from Lake Washington Institute Of Technology generally make around $60,000. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Peninsula College came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value personal & culinary services schools. Peninsula College is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Port Angeles. In-state tuition and fees average $4,718, compared with $5,270 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $12,730 to complete the personal & culinary services program here. Soon after graduation, personal & culinary services degree recipients from Peninsula College generally make around $51,243. Set against $12,730 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Spokane Community College ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value personal & culinary services schools. Located in the city of Spokane, Spokane Community College is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $5,461 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $6,612. Students borrow a median of $7,980 to complete the personal & culinary services program here. Early-career personal & culinary services graduates make about $19,459. That is a strong return on a $7,980 median debt.
Seattle Community College Central Campus landed the #7 spot for personal & culinary services value this year. Located in the city of Seattle, Seattle Community College Central Campus is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $5,238, with out-of-state students paying around $5,796. Typical student debt for personal & culinary services graduates is $14,699. Personal & Culinary Services graduates of Seattle Community College Central Campus earn a median of $53,048 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Seattle Community College South Campus placed #8 among the best values for personal & culinary services. Located in the city of Seattle, Seattle Community College South Campus is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,208, while out-of-state students pay about $5,796. Graduates go on to earn a median of $44,486 ten years after entry.
Olympic College earned the #9 position for value in personal & culinary services this year. Set in the city of Bremerton, Olympic College is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,472, while out-of-state students pay about $9,740. Typical student debt for personal & culinary services graduates is $11,497. Personal & Culinary Services graduates of Olympic College earn a median of $57,593 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Clark College landed the #10 spot for personal & culinary services value this year. Set in the city of Vancouver, Clark College is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,233, while out-of-state students pay about $11,183. Students borrow a median of $15,432 to complete the personal & culinary services program here. Early-career personal & culinary services graduates make about $43,768. That is a strong return on a $15,432 median debt.
Everett Community College earned the #11 position for value in personal & culinary services this year. Located in the city of Everett, Everett Community College is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,032, while out-of-state students pay about $11,171. Typical student debt for personal & culinary services graduates is $13,542. Personal & Culinary Services graduates of Everett Community College earn a median of $47,441 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Gene Juarez Academy Of Beauty Federal Way placed #12 among the best values for personal & culinary services. Set in the suburb of Federal Way, Gene Juarez Academy Of Beauty Federal Way is a small private for-profit institution. Typical student debt for personal & culinary services graduates is $10,555. Personal & Culinary Services graduates of Gene Juarez Academy Of Beauty Federal Way earn a median of $23,084 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Stylemaster College Of Hair Design placed #13 among the best values for personal & culinary services. Located in the city of Longview, Stylemaster College Of Hair Design is a small private for-profit university. Typical student debt for personal & culinary services graduates is $11,048. Early-career personal & culinary services graduates make about $18,413. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Evergreen Beauty And Barber College Everett placed #14 among the best values for personal & culinary services. Set in the city of Everett, Evergreen Beauty And Barber College Everett is a small private for-profit institution. Students borrow a median of $9,164 to complete the personal & culinary services program here. Early-career personal & culinary services graduates make about $23,420. That is a strong return on a $9,164 median debt.
Aveda Institute Portland Vancouver Campus landed the #15 spot for personal & culinary services value this year. Aveda Institute Portland Vancouver Campus is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Vancouver. Personal & Culinary Services graduates carry a median of $10,556 in student loans. Early-career personal & culinary services graduates make about $21,907. That is a strong return on a $10,556 median debt.
Toni And Guy Hairdressing Academy Shoreline ranked #16 on our 2026 list of the best value personal & culinary services schools. Toni And Guy Hairdressing Academy Shoreline is a small private for-profit school located in the suburb of Shoreline. Students borrow a median of $12,344 to complete the personal & culinary services program here. Soon after graduation, personal & culinary services degree recipients from Toni And Guy Hairdressing Academy Shoreline generally make around $25,497. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Elite Cosmetology Barber And Spa Academy ranked #17 on our 2026 list of the best value personal & culinary services schools. Located in the city of Yakima, Elite Cosmetology Barber And Spa Academy is a small private for-profit university. Typical student debt for personal & culinary services graduates is $9,510.
Victorias Academy Of Cosmetology landed the #18 spot for personal & culinary services value this year. Victorias Academy Of Cosmetology is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Kennewick. Typical student debt for personal & culinary services graduates is $9,500. Early-career personal & culinary services graduates make about $19,806. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Studio Beauty School came in at #19 for value in personal & culinary services this year. Located in the city of Spokane Valley, Studio Beauty School is a small private for-profit university. Typical student debt for personal & culinary services graduates is $7,917. Early-career personal & culinary services graduates make about $17,110.
Paul Mitchell The School Spokane earned the #20 position for value in personal & culinary services this year. Set in the city of Spokane Valley, Paul Mitchell The School Spokane is a small private for-profit institution. Personal & Culinary Services graduates carry a median of $10,556 in student loans. Early-career personal & culinary services graduates make about $24,554. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Summit Salon Academy Tacoma landed the #21 spot for personal & culinary services value this year. Located in the city of Tacoma, Summit Salon Academy Tacoma is a small private for-profit university. Students borrow a median of $10,000 to complete the personal & culinary services program here. Early-career personal & culinary services graduates make about $22,595. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
International Air And Hospitality Academy earned the #22 position for value in personal & culinary services this year. International Air And Hospitality Academy is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Vancouver. Typical student debt for personal & culinary services graduates is $9,500. Early-career personal & culinary services graduates make about $28,085. That is a strong return on a $9,500 median debt.
Paul Mitchell The School Richland ranked #23 on our 2026 list of the best value personal & culinary services schools. Set in the city of Richland, Paul Mitchell The School Richland is a small private for-profit institution. Typical student debt for personal & culinary services graduates is $10,556. Personal & Culinary Services graduates of Paul Mitchell The School Richland earn a median of $20,689 early in their careers. Set against $10,556 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Gary Manuel Aveda Institute ranked #24 on our 2026 list of the best value personal & culinary services schools. Set in the city of Seattle, Gary Manuel Aveda Institute is a small private for-profit institution. Students borrow a median of $10,111 to complete the personal & culinary services program here. Early-career personal & culinary services graduates make about $21,785. That is a strong return on a $10,111 median debt.
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 36 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
[Personal & Culinary Services](/majors/personal-and-culinary-services/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong personal & culinary services education at a price that pays off.
