by our College Data Analytics TeamIn 2025, College Factual analyzed 98 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 7,039 associate degrees in culinary arts during the <nil> academic year.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
Your choice of culinary arts for getting your associate degree school matters. Important measures of a quality culinary arts program can vary widely even among the top schools. To make it into this list, a school must excel in the following areas.
A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To account for this we consider a school's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a collection of various factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
Average early-career salary of those graduating with their associate degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. That is, everyone wants their associate degree to be worth something, and salaries are one measure of determining that.
The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.
Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for culinary arts students working on their associate degree.
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we've developed the Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
Explore the top ranked colleges and universities for culinary arts students seeking a an associate degree. Only those schools that rank in the top 20% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.
Any student pursuing a degree in an associate degree in culinary arts needs to look into Culinary Institute of America. The Culinary Institute of America is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Hyde Park.
Students who graduate with their associate from the culinary arts program report average early career income of $28,049.
More information about a associate in culinary arts from Culinary Institute of America
Johnson & Wales University - Providence is one of the finest schools in the country for getting an associate degree in culinary arts. Located in the medium-sized city of Providence, JWU Providence is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population.
Associate students who receive their degree from the culinary arts program make about $27,514 in the first couple years of their career.
More information about a associate in culinary arts from Johnson & Wales University - Providence
Every student pursuing a degree in an associate degree in culinary arts needs to take a look at Sullivan University. Located in the city of Louisville, Sullivan University is a private for-profit university with a small student population.
Associate graduates who receive their degree from the culinary arts program make an average of $24,292 for their early career.
More information about a associate in culinary arts from Sullivan University
It is difficult to beat Johnson & Wales University - Charlotte if you wish to pursue an associate degree in culinary arts. JWU Charlotte is a small private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Charlotte.
Associate students who receive their degree from the culinary arts program make about $27,514 for their early career.
More information about a associate in culinary arts from Johnson & Wales University - Charlotte
Valencia College is a fairly large public college located in the large city of Orlando.
Associate graduates who receive their degree from the culinary arts program earn around $25,227 in the first couple years of working.
More information about a associate in culinary arts from Valencia College
Madison College is a fairly large public college located in the large city of Madison.More information about a associate in culinary arts from Madison Area Technical College
Located in the large city of Virginia Beach, ECPI University is a private for-profit university with a large student population.
Students who graduate with their associate from the culinary arts program report average early career income of $23,320.
More information about a associate in culinary arts from ECPI University
SWOCC is a small public college located in the remote town of Coos Bay.
Associate students who receive their degree from the culinary arts program make around $27,855 in the first couple years of their career.
More information about a associate in culinary arts from Southwestern Oregon Community College
Located in the large city of Milwaukee, MATC is a public college with a fairly large student population.
Students who graduate with their associate from the culinary arts program state that they receive average early career earnings of $25,304.
More information about a associate in culinary arts from Milwaukee Area Technical College
Located in the city of Lakewood, CPTC is a public college with a small student population.More information about a associate in culinary arts from Clover Park Technical College
NLU is a medium-sized private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Chicago.
Soon after graduation, culinary arts associate recipients usually make an average of $24,786 at the beginning of their careers.
More information about a associate in culinary arts from National Louis University
Located in the midsize city of Fort Lauderdale, Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population.
Culinary Arts associate degree recipients from Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale receive an earnings boost of about $2,076 over the typical income of culinary arts majors.
More information about a associate in culinary arts from Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale
Located in the rural area of Sanborn, Niagara County Community College is a public college with a small student population.
Students who graduate with their associate from the culinary arts program state that they receive average early career earnings of $26,514.
More information about a associate in culinary arts from Niagara County Community College
Located in the city of Dallas, El Centro College is a public college with a fairly large student population.
Culinary Arts associate degree recipients from El Centro College get an earnings boost of about $5,687 above the average earnings of culinary arts majors.
More information about a associate in culinary arts from El Centro College
Located in the medium-sized city of Pasadena, San Jacinto College is a public college with a fairly large student population.More information about a associate in culinary arts from San Jacinto Community College
Located in the city of Saint Paul, Saint Paul College is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.More information about a associate in culinary arts from Saint Paul College
JCCC is a large public college located in the city of Overland Park.
Associate recipients from the culinary arts major at Johnson County Community College get $12,894 more than the average college grad with the same degree shortly after graduation.
More information about a associate in culinary arts from Johnson County Community College
Located in the city of Dover, Delaware Tech is a public college with a fairly large student population.
Associate students who receive their degree from the culinary arts program make an average of $26,031 for their early career.
More information about a associate in culinary arts from Delaware Technical Community College - Terry
Located in the rural area of Mays Landing, Atlantic Cape Community College is a public college with a small student population.
Associate recipients from the culinary arts degree program at Atlantic Cape Community College get $5,556 above the standard college grad in this field when they enter the workforce.
More information about a associate in culinary arts from Atlantic Cape Community CollegeHere are some additional great schools for Culinary Arts students that almost earned our Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | Savannah Technical College | Savannah, GA |
| 21 | Nassau Community College | Garden City, NY |
| 22 | Fox Valley Technical College | Appleton, WI |
| 23 | Baker College | Owosso, MI |
| 24 | College of DuPage | Glen Ellyn, IL |
| 25 | Lee College | Baytown, TX |
| 26 | Suffolk County Community College | Selden, NY |
| 27 | Monroe College | Bronx, NY |
| 28 | Florida State College at Jacksonville | Jacksonville, FL |
| 29 | Sinclair Community College | Dayton, OH |
| 30 | Cincinnati State Technical and Community College | Cincinnati, OH |
| 31 | Grand Rapids Community College | Grand Rapids, MI |
| 32 | Pennsylvania College of Technology | Williamsport, PA |
View the Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools for a specific region near you.
One of 4 majors within the Personal & Culinary Services area of study, Culinary Arts has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Funeral & Mortuary Science | 1,656 |
| Cosmetology | 1,324 |
| Other Personal & Culinary Services | 6 |
.jpg){kind=link}