2027 Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Schools in Kentucky
[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.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 24 schools to find the best return on investment for personal & culinary services students.
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2027 Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Schools in Kentucky
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in personal & culinary services, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Schools
Southcentral Kentucky Community And Technical College earned the #1 spot for value among personal & culinary services schools in Kentucky. Located in the city of Bowling Green, Southcentral Kentucky Community And Technical College is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $4,728, while out-of-state students pay about $6,432. Students borrow a median of $12,068 to complete the personal & culinary services program here. Soon after graduation, personal & culinary services degree recipients from Southcentral Kentucky Community And Technical College generally make around $42,892. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Hazard Community And Technical College earned it the #2 place for personal & culinary services. Hazard Community And Technical College is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Hazard. Students from in state pay about $4,728 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $6,432. Typical student debt for personal & culinary services graduates is $12,212. Personal & Culinary Services graduates of Hazard Community And Technical College earn a median of $32,626 early in their careers. Set against $12,212 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Somerset Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in personal & culinary services, landing the #3 spot this year. Somerset Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Somerset. Students from in state pay about $4,728 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $6,432. Personal & Culinary Services graduates carry a median of $11,832 in student loans. Personal & Culinary Services graduates of Somerset Community College earn a median of $11,565 early in their careers. Set against $11,832 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Elizabethtown Community And Technical College earned it the #4 place for personal & culinary services. Elizabethtown Community And Technical College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Elizabethtown. Students from in state pay about $4,728 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $6,432. Typical student debt for personal & culinary services graduates is $12,245. Soon after graduation, personal & culinary services degree recipients from Elizabethtown Community And Technical College generally make around $45,486. Set against $12,245 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
West Kentucky Community And Technical College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in personal & culinary services, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the city of Paducah, West Kentucky Community And Technical College is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,728, with out-of-state students paying around $6,432. Students borrow a median of $10,778 to complete the personal & culinary services program here. Personal & Culinary Services graduates of West Kentucky Community And Technical College earn a median of $14,110 early in their careers. Set against $10,778 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Bluegrass Community And Technical College came in at #6 for value in personal & culinary services this year. Bluegrass Community And Technical College is a large public school located in the city of Lexington. Students from in state pay about $4,808 in tuition and fees, compared with $6,512 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for personal & culinary services graduates is $13,366. Personal & Culinary Services graduates of Bluegrass Community And Technical College earn a median of $44,431 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Ashland Community And Technical College placed #7 among the best values for personal & culinary services. Located in the city of Ashland, Ashland Community And Technical College is a mid-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,728, compared with $6,432 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $13,485 to complete the personal & culinary services program here. Soon after graduation, personal & culinary services degree recipients from Ashland Community And Technical College generally make around $37,826. Set against $13,485 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Jefferson Community And Technical College came in at #8 for value in personal & culinary services this year. Set in the city of Louisville, Jefferson Community And Technical College is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $4,808 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $6,512. Students borrow a median of $13,917 to complete the personal & culinary services program here. Personal & Culinary Services graduates of Jefferson Community And Technical College earn a median of $44,346 early in their careers. Set against $13,917 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Regina Webb Academy landed the #9 spot for personal & culinary services value this year. Regina Webb Academy is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Bowling Green. Soon after graduation, personal & culinary services degree recipients from Regina Webb Academy generally make around $15,757.
Campbellsville University placed #10 among the best values for personal & culinary services. Located in the town of Campbellsville, Campbellsville University is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $27,998. Personal & Culinary Services graduates carry a median of $12,850 in student loans. Early-career personal & culinary services graduates make about $12,486. That is a strong return on a $12,850 median debt. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
Empire Beauty School Chenoweth ranked #11 on our 2027 list of the best value personal & culinary services schools. Empire Beauty School Chenoweth is a small private for-profit school located in the suburb of Louisville. Students borrow a median of $13,583 to complete the personal & culinary services program here. Early-career personal & culinary services graduates make about $15,679. That is a strong return on a $13,583 median debt.
Summit Salon Academy Lexington earned the #12 position for value in personal & culinary services this year. Set in the city of Lexington, Summit Salon Academy Lexington is a small private for-profit institution. Typical student debt for personal & culinary services graduates is $10,667. Soon after graduation, personal & culinary services degree recipients from Summit Salon Academy Lexington generally make around $16,679. That is a strong return on a $10,667 median debt. Summit Salon Academy Lexington admits about 81% of applicants.
Empire Beauty School Florence ranked #13 on our 2027 list of the best value personal & culinary services schools. Empire Beauty School Florence is a small private for-profit school located in the suburb of Florence. Typical student debt for personal & culinary services graduates is $15,765. Soon after graduation, personal & culinary services degree recipients from Empire Beauty School Florence generally make around $18,408. That is a strong return on a $15,765 median debt.
Appalachian Beauty School ranked #14 on our 2027 list of the best value personal & culinary services schools. Set in the rural area of Belfry, Appalachian Beauty School is a small private for-profit institution. Early-career personal & culinary services graduates make about $5,973.
Lindsey Institute Of Cosmetology came in at #15 for value in personal & culinary services this year. Lindsey Institute Of Cosmetology is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Bowling Green. Typical student debt for personal & culinary services graduates is $12,679. Personal & Culinary Services graduates of Lindsey Institute Of Cosmetology earn a median of $12,627 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $12,679 median debt.
Empire Beauty School Elizabethtown earned the #16 position for value in personal & culinary services this year. Located in the city of Elizabethtown, Empire Beauty School Elizabethtown is a small private for-profit university. Personal & Culinary Services graduates carry a median of $10,667 in student loans. Soon after graduation, personal & culinary services degree recipients from Empire Beauty School Elizabethtown generally make around $15,322. Set against $10,667 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Empire Beauty School Dixie earned the #17 position for value in personal & culinary services this year. Located in the city of Louisville, Empire Beauty School Dixie is a small private for-profit university. Personal & Culinary Services graduates carry a median of $14,492 in student loans. Early-career personal & culinary services graduates make about $16,251. That is a strong return on a $14,492 median debt.
Sullivan University placed #18 among the best values for personal & culinary services. Located in the city of Louisville, Sullivan University is a mid-sized private for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $15,480. Personal & Culinary Services graduates carry a median of $15,265 in student loans. Personal & Culinary Services graduates of Sullivan University earn a median of $24,292 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $15,265 median debt.
American College Of Barbering landed the #19 spot for personal & culinary services value this year. Set in the city of Louisville, American College Of Barbering is a small private for-profit institution. Students borrow a median of $14,115 to complete the personal & culinary services program here. Early-career personal & culinary services graduates make about $15,279.
Employment Solutions College For Technical Education landed the #20 spot for personal & culinary services value this year. Set in the city of Lexington, Employment Solutions College For Technical Education is a small private not-for-profit institution. Typical student debt for personal & culinary services graduates is $15,413. Personal & Culinary Services graduates of Employment Solutions College For Technical Education earn a median of $13,117 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $15,413 median debt.
Paul Mitchell The School Lexington landed the #21 spot for personal & culinary services value this year. Set in the city of Lexington, Paul Mitchell The School Lexington is a small private for-profit institution. Personal & Culinary Services graduates carry a median of $16,500 in student loans. Personal & Culinary Services graduates of Paul Mitchell The School Lexington earn a median of $18,950 early in their careers. Set against $16,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Pjs College Of Cosmetology Glasgow ranked #22 on our 2027 list of the best value personal & culinary services schools. Pjs College Of Cosmetology Glasgow is a small private for-profit school located in the town of Glasgow. Students borrow a median of $16,500 to complete the personal & culinary services program here. Personal & Culinary Services graduates of Pjs College Of Cosmetology Glasgow earn a median of $10,936 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Pjs College Of Cosmetology Bowling Green earned the #23 position for value in personal & culinary services this year. Located in the city of Bowling Green, Pjs College Of Cosmetology Bowling Green is a small private for-profit university. Students borrow a median of $10,667 to complete the personal & culinary services program here. Soon after graduation, personal & culinary services degree recipients from Pjs College Of Cosmetology Bowling Green generally make around $21,439. Set against $10,667 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Paul Mitchell The School Louisville came in at #24 for value in personal & culinary services this year. Set in the suburb of Louisville, Paul Mitchell The School Louisville is a small private for-profit institution. Personal & Culinary Services graduates carry a median of $12,583 in student loans. Soon after graduation, personal & culinary services degree recipients from Paul Mitchell The School Louisville generally make around $20,033. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
More Personal & Culinary Services Rankings
View All Personal & Culinary Services Rankings >
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 24 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 24 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.
