2026 Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Schools in Minnesota
[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 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 27 schools to find the best return on investment for personal & culinary services students.
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2026 Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Schools in Minnesota
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the personal & culinary services degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Schools
Our analysis ranked Riverland Community College the best value for a degree in personal & culinary services in Minnesota. Located in the town of Austin, Riverland Community College is a mid-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,297. Students borrow a median of $15,732 to complete the personal & culinary services program here. Soon after graduation, personal & culinary services degree recipients from Riverland Community College generally make around $49,194. Set against $15,732 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in personal & culinary services will find it at Century College, which ranked #2. Located in the suburb of White Bear Lake, Century College is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,214. Personal & Culinary Services graduates carry a median of $21,332 in student loans. Early-career personal & culinary services graduates make about $47,502. That is a strong return on a $21,332 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Hennepin Technical College earned it the #3 place for personal & culinary services. Set in the suburb of Brooklyn Park, Hennepin Technical College is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $5,940. Students borrow a median of $17,887 to complete the personal & culinary services program here. Personal & Culinary Services graduates of Hennepin Technical College earn a median of $52,059 early in their careers. Set against $17,887 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #4 makes Ridgewater College one of the best values for personal & culinary services. Set in the town of Willmar, Ridgewater College is a mid-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,121. Personal & Culinary Services graduates carry a median of $9,750 in student loans. Early-career personal & culinary services graduates make about $21,574. Set against $9,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in personal & culinary services will find it at Minnesota State Community And Technical College, which ranked #5. Minnesota State Community And Technical College is a moderately-sized public school located in the rural area of Fergus Falls. In-state tuition and fees average $5,908. Typical student debt for personal & culinary services graduates is $10,169. Early-career personal & culinary services graduates make about $24,367. That is a strong return on a $10,169 median debt.
Minnesota West Community And Technical College earned the #6 position for value in personal & culinary services this year. Minnesota West Community And Technical College is a mid-sized public school located in the rural area of Granite Falls. Students from in state pay about $6,491 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for personal & culinary services graduates is $8,730. Personal & Culinary Services graduates of Minnesota West Community And Technical College earn a median of $17,767 early in their careers. Set against $8,730 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Saint Paul College A Community And Technical College came in at #7 for value in personal & culinary services this year. Located in the city of Saint Paul, Saint Paul College A Community And Technical College is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $6,326. Typical student debt for personal & culinary services graduates is $15,875. Soon after graduation, personal & culinary services degree recipients from Saint Paul College A Community And Technical College generally make around $32,912. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Central Lakes College Brainerd came in at #8 for value in personal & culinary services this year. Central Lakes College Brainerd is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Brainerd. Students from in state pay about $6,249 in tuition and fees. Personal & Culinary Services graduates carry a median of $14,479 in student loans. Early-career personal & culinary services graduates make about $44,264. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Minnesota State College Southeast Technical came in at #9 for value in personal & culinary services this year. Located in the town of Winona, Minnesota State College Southeast Technical is a mid-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $6,432. Personal & Culinary Services graduates carry a median of $22,522 in student loans. Personal & Culinary Services graduates of Minnesota State College Southeast Technical earn a median of $50,290 early in their careers. Set against $22,522 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
University Of Minnesota Twin Cities ranked #10 on our 2026 list of the best value personal & culinary services schools. Set in the city of Minneapolis, University Of Minnesota Twin Cities is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $17,214, with out-of-state students paying around $38,362. Typical student debt for personal & culinary services graduates is $24,875. Soon after graduation, personal & culinary services degree recipients from University Of Minnesota Twin Cities generally make around $60,367. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 80%.
Avalon School Of Cosmetology earned the #11 position for value in personal & culinary services this year. Set in the town of Worthington, Avalon School Of Cosmetology is a small private for-profit institution. Graduates go on to earn a median of $28,336 ten years after entry.
Hastings Beauty School landed the #12 spot for personal & culinary services value this year. Hastings Beauty School is a small private for-profit school located in the town of Hastings. Soon after graduation, personal & culinary services degree recipients from Hastings Beauty School generally make around $23,396.
Pci Academy Plymouth ranked #13 on our 2026 list of the best value personal & culinary services schools. Pci Academy Plymouth is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Plymouth. Personal & Culinary Services graduates carry a median of $10,570 in student loans. Personal & Culinary Services graduates of Pci Academy Plymouth earn a median of $24,178 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $10,570 median debt.
Empire Beauty School Bloomington came in at #14 for value in personal & culinary services this year. Empire Beauty School Bloomington is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Bloomington. Students borrow a median of $13,849 to complete the personal & culinary services program here. Personal & Culinary Services graduates of Empire Beauty School Bloomington earn a median of $18,639 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $13,849 median debt.
Model College Of Hair Design earned the #15 position for value in personal & culinary services this year. Located in the city of Saint Cloud, Model College Of Hair Design is a small private for-profit university. Personal & Culinary Services graduates carry a median of $8,778 in student loans. Soon after graduation, personal & culinary services degree recipients from Model College Of Hair Design generally make around $25,814. Set against $8,778 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Empire Beauty School Spring Lake Park placed #16 among the best values for personal & culinary services. Set in the suburb of Spring Lake Park, Empire Beauty School Spring Lake Park is a small private for-profit institution. Students borrow a median of $15,765 to complete the personal & culinary services program here. Early-career personal & culinary services graduates make about $18,408. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Minnesota School Of Cosmetology Woodbury Campus came in at #17 for value in personal & culinary services this year. Set in the suburb of WOODBURY, Minnesota School Of Cosmetology Woodbury Campus is a small private for-profit institution. Typical student debt for personal & culinary services graduates is $10,194. Early-career personal & culinary services graduates make about $24,617. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Aveda Institute Minneapolis earned the #18 position for value in personal & culinary services this year. Set in the city of Minneapolis, Aveda Institute Minneapolis is a small private for-profit institution. Students borrow a median of $9,941 to complete the personal & culinary services program here. Personal & Culinary Services graduates of Aveda Institute Minneapolis earn a median of $24,230 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Nova Academy Of Cosmetology placed #19 among the best values for personal & culinary services. Located in the city of Rochester, Nova Academy Of Cosmetology is a small private for-profit university. Typical student debt for personal & culinary services graduates is $9,999. Soon after graduation, personal & culinary services degree recipients from Nova Academy Of Cosmetology generally make around $25,754. That is a strong return on a $9,999 median debt.
More Personal & Culinary Services Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 27 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
