Best Culinary Arts and Related Services Degrees in the US by ROI
Top colleges ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment across all active states. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Programs Analyzed
66
Colleges with salary data
Average 20-Yr Net ROI
-$430,215
Across all programs
Average Annual Cost
$19,437
Cost of attendance
| # | College | State | 20-Yr Net ROI | Median Salary | Annual Cost | Avg Debt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Culinary Institute of America
Grad rate: 67.9% |
NY | +$214,074 | $55,409 | $54,106 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 2 | Institute of Culinary Education | CA | -$103,828 | $37,266 | N/A | $6,777 | Full ROI → |
| 3 | Institute of Culinary Education | NY | -$103,828 | $37,266 | N/A | $6,777 | Full ROI → |
| 4 |
Estrella Mountain Community College
Grad rate: 20.5% |
AZ | -$229,966 | $31,370 | $17,366 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 5 |
Holyoke Community College
Grad rate: 27.3% |
MA | -$265,367 | $29,411 | $13,587 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 6 |
Scottsdale Community College
Grad rate: 23.1% |
AZ | -$268,662 | $29,551 | $19,682 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 7 |
Kirkwood Community College
Grad rate: 37.9% |
IA | -$270,797 | $29,200 | $14,797 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 8 |
Tarrant County College District
Grad rate: 22.7% |
TX | -$282,260 | $28,473 | $11,720 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 9 |
Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder
Grad rate: 44.1% |
CO | -$310,478 | $28,043 | $16,363 | $11,093 | Full ROI → |
| 10 |
Ozarks Technical Community College
Grad rate: 31.2% |
MO | -$328,760 | $26,189 | $12,540 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 11 |
Mountainland Technical College
Grad rate: 72.1% |
UT | -$329,120 | $25,544 | N/A | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 12 |
Guilford Technical Community College
Grad rate: 29.5% |
NC | -$329,152 | $28,605 | $18,425 | $31,724 | Full ROI → |
| 13 |
Lincoln Technical Institute-Iselin
Grad rate: 50.0% |
NJ | -$333,583 | $27,532 | $44,223 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 14 |
Arizona Culinary Institute
Grad rate: 83.7% |
AZ | -$344,266 | $27,561 | $42,661 | $9,500 | Full ROI → |
| 15 |
Lincoln College of Technology-Columbia
Grad rate: 63.0% |
MD | -$347,382 | $27,221 | $34,342 | $12,934 | Full ROI → |
| 16 |
Lincoln Technical Institute-New Britain
Grad rate: 52.9% |
CT | -$347,634 | $27,221 | $34,594 | $12,934 | Full ROI → |
| 17 |
Macomb Community College
Grad rate: 13.9% |
MI | -$349,379 | $25,067 | $10,719 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 18 |
YTI Career Institute-York
Grad rate: 43.4% |
PA | -$350,953 | $26,154 | $18,283 | $11,667 | Full ROI → |
| 19 |
Ivy Tech Community College
Grad rate: 33.3% |
IN | -$352,971 | $25,046 | $13,891 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 20 |
Lincoln Technical Institute-Shelton
Grad rate: 58.2% |
CT | -$353,177 | $27,221 | $40,137 | $12,934 | Full ROI → |
| 21 |
Saint Paul College
Grad rate: 31.9% |
MN | -$353,182 | $26,421 | $17,977 | $17,500 | Full ROI → |
| 22 |
Fayetteville Technical Community College
Grad rate: 18.5% |
NC | -$357,505 | $24,717 | $11,845 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 23 |
Sullivan University
Grad rate: 28.8% |
KY | -$358,240 | $25,643 | $31,100 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 24 |
Miller-Motte College-Chattanooga
Grad rate: 53.9% |
TN | -$363,316 | $26,074 | $29,136 | $11,600 | Full ROI → |
| 25 |
Nicolet Area Technical College
Grad rate: 47.6% |
WI | -$376,164 | $23,896 | $14,084 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 26 |
Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Austin
Grad rate: 55.8% |
TX | -$378,907 | $25,258 | $26,112 | $13,300 | Full ROI → |
| 27 |
Henry Ford College
Grad rate: 11.0% |
MI | -$381,927 | $24,695 | $9,983 | $19,144 | Full ROI → |
| 28 |
Hinds Community College
Grad rate: 36.0% |
MS | -$391,565 | $23,734 | $9,817 | $12,169 | Full ROI → |
| 29 |
El Paso Community College
Grad rate: 21.3% |
TX | -$393,721 | $22,951 | $12,741 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 30 |
Lemoore College
Grad rate: 41.3% |
CA | -$394,279 | $23,192 | $18,119 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 31 |
Miller-Motte College-Tulsa
Grad rate: 60.6% |
OK | -$396,983 | $24,322 | $27,763 | $11,600 | Full ROI → |
| 32 |
Grand Rapids Community College
Grad rate: 18.5% |
MI | -$412,563 | $23,003 | $16,255 | $12,125 | Full ROI → |
| 33 |
Daytona State College
Grad rate: 43.1% |
FL | -$414,262 | $21,870 | $11,662 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 34 |
CET-San Jose
Grad rate: 65.4% |
CA | -$430,457 | $21,533 | $21,117 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 35 |
International Air and Hospitality Academy
Grad rate: 72.5% |
WA | -$430,744 | $22,557 | $29,059 | $9,500 | Full ROI → |
| 36 |
Atlantic Technical College
Grad rate: 55.1% |
FL | -$436,691 | $20,996 | $16,611 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 37 |
Sheridan Technical College
Grad rate: 68.7% |
FL | -$443,738 | $20,521 | $14,158 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 38 |
Hacienda La Puente Adult Education
Grad rate: 87.2% |
CA | -$445,068 | $20,230 | $9,668 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 39 |
Institute of Technology
Grad rate: 72.7% |
CA | -$445,124 | $21,815 | $28,599 | $9,500 | Full ROI → |
| 40 |
Helms College
Grad rate: 63.2% |
GA | -$449,791 | $21,767 | $26,400 | $13,875 | Full ROI → |
| 41 |
Francis Tuttle Technology Center
Grad rate: 61.6% |
OK | -$457,030 | $19,673 | $10,490 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 42 |
South Texas College
Grad rate: 26.8% |
TX | -$473,225 | $18,714 | $7,505 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 43 |
Kansas City Kansas Community College
Grad rate: 34.9% |
KS | -$475,135 | $19,148 | $18,095 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 44 |
Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Aguadilla
Grad rate: 38.2% |
PR | -$484,309 | $18,507 | $14,449 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 45 |
Dorsey College
Grad rate: 46.5% |
MI | -$486,849 | $20,038 | $30,059 | $13,000 | Full ROI → |
| 46 |
Orange Technical College-South Campus
Grad rate: 51.3% |
FL | -$492,640 | $17,368 | N/A | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 47 |
Lively Technical College
Grad rate: 51.8% |
FL | -$495,913 | $17,846 | $12,833 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 48 |
Bossier Parish Community College
Grad rate: 15.2% |
LA | -$498,172 | $17,885 | $15,872 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 49 |
Albany Technical College
Grad rate: 40.9% |
GA | -$499,031 | $17,739 | $13,811 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 50 |
Culinary Institute Inc
Grad rate: 56.0% |
TX | -$525,298 | $18,105 | $30,580 | $12,458 | Full ROI → |
How ROI is calculated
20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost − Debt Payoff (×1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20). Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.
Find Best Culinary Arts and Related Services Degrees by State
Browse Culinary Arts and Related Services programs ranked by 20-year ROI in every state that offers this degree.