2022 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Culinary Arts (Income $48-$75k) in the Southwest Region
Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking is part of that endeavor.
Culinary Arts is the 80th most popular major in the country with 21,906 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, culinary arts graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $23,822 and had an average of $19,004 in loans still to pay off.
Across the Southwest region, there were 2,671 culinary arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $23,641 and $21,214 respectively. At the associate degree level specifically, there were 998 culinary arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $33,605 and $16,886 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking looked at 27 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in culinary arts. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent culinary arts programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.
To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the culinary arts program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
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One Size Does Not Fit All
The culinary arts school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k”.
We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.
Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k
The colleges and universities below are the best for southwest region associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $48-$75k.
Top 25 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Culinary Arts (Income $48-$75k) in the Southwest Region
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend El Centro College. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. El Centro College is a large public school situated in Dallas, Texas. It awarded 36 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at El Centro College, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $6,881 for southwest region associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend El Centro College.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Lee College. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This medium-sized school is located in Baytown, Texas, and it awarded 21 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2019-2020.
Lee College also made our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #12. The estimated yearly cost for Lee College is $8,858 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts students whose families make $48-$75k.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, this small public school awarded 29 diplomas to qualified associates’s culinary arts students in 2019-2020.
OSU Institute of Technology also took the #3 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology is $8,415 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts students whose families make $48-$75k.
Read full report on Culinary Arts at Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend St Philip’s College. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k. This fairly large school is located in San Antonio, Texas, and it awarded 38 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at St Philip’s College, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $8,285 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend St Philip’s College.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Central New Mexico Community College. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, this large public school handed out 27 degrees to qualified associates’s culinary arts students in 2019-2020.
CNM did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Central New Mexico Community College is $5,676 for southwest region associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $48-$75k.
Houston Community College landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Houston, Texas, this large public school awarded 53 degrees to qualified associates’s culinary arts students in 2019-2020.
Houston Community College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Houston Community College is $7,595 for southwest region associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $48-$75k.
With a ranking of #7, Austin Community College District did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Austin, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s culinary arts degrees to 16 students in 2019-2020.
Austin Community College District also took the #4 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Austin Community College District is $8,877 for southwest region associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $48-$75k.
Read full report on Culinary Arts at Austin Community College District
South Plains College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #8. South Plains College is a medium-sized school located in Levelland, Texas that handed out 12 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our southwest region associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $48-$75k list, South Plains College has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend South Plains College is $9,476 for southwest region associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $48-$75k.
With a ranking of #9, Grayson College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Grayson College is a public institution located in Denison, Texas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 6 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Grayson College also took the #14 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $11,510 for southwest region associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Grayson College.
Collin County Community College District landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Collin County Community College District is a large public school situated in McKinney, Texas. It awarded 9 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our southwest region associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $48-$75k list, Collin County Community College District has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Collin County Community College District is $7,898 for southwest region associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $48-$75k.
Full Collin County Community College District Culinary Arts Report
El Paso Community College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #11. El Paso Community College is a large school located in El Paso, Texas that handed out 40 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our southwest region associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $48-$75k list, El Paso Community College has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for El Paso Community College is $7,230 for southwest region associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $48-$75k.
San Jacinto Community College landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. San Jacinto Community College is a large public school situated in Pasadena, Texas. It awarded 26 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2019-2020.
San Jacinto College also took the #6 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend San Jacinto College is $9,788 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts students whose families make $48-$75k.
Tarrant County College District landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Tarrant County College is a large school located in Fort Worth, Texas that handed out 10 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our southwest region associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $48-$75k list, Tarrant County College has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Tarrant County College District is $7,048 for southwest region associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $48-$75k.
With a ranking of #14, Del Mar College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Corpus Christi, Texas is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s culinary arts degrees to 8 students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our southwest region associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $48-$75k list, DMC has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend DMC is $7,568 for southwest region associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $48-$75k.
With a ranking of #15, Pima Community College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Tucson, Arizona, this fairly large public school handed out 18 degrees to qualified associates’s culinary arts students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Pima County Community College District, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $5,659 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Pima County Community College District.
Odessa College landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Odessa College is a medium-sized public school situated in Odessa, Texas. It awarded 12 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Odessa College, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Odessa College is $7,936 for southwest region associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $48-$75k.
Texas State Technical College landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Waco, Texas, this fairly large public school awarded 33 diplomas to qualified associates’s culinary arts students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our southwest region associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $48-$75k list, TSTC has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Texas State Technical College is $12,576 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts students whose families make $48-$75k.
With a ranking of #18, Texarkana College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Texarkana, Texas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s culinary arts degrees to 10 students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Texarkana College, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Texarkana College is $7,849 for southwest region associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $48-$75k.
New Mexico State University - Dona Ana came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. NMSU Dona Ana is a medium-sized public school situated in Las Cruces, New Mexico. It awarded 11 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our southwest region associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $48-$75k list, NMSU Dona Ana has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for NMSU Dona Ana is $8,013 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts students whose families make $48-$75k.
Read full report on Culinary Arts at New Mexico State University - Dona Ana
Estrella Mountain Community College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Estrella Mountain Community College is located in Avondale, Arizona and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 8 associates’s culinary arts degrees to qualified students.
Estrella Mountain Community College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $10,721 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Estrella Mountain Community College.
Read more about Culinary Arts at Estrella Mountain Community College
Northeast Texas Community College ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. NTCC is located in Mount Pleasant, Texas and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 6 associates’s culinary arts degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our southwest region associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $48-$75k list, NTCC has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Northeast Texas Community College is $9,117 for southwest region associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $48-$75k.
Mohave Community College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #22. Mohave Community College is a small school located in Kingman, Arizona that handed out 1 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2019-2020.
MCC also took the #25 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend MCC is $11,599 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts students whose families make $48-$75k.
With a ranking of #23, The Art Institute of Houston did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Ai Houston is a small private for-profit school situated in Houston, Texas. It awarded 44 associates’s culinary arts degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our southwest region associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $48-$75k list, Ai Houston has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $24,954 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Ai Houston.
Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts - Austin ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Escoffier - Austin is located in Austin, Texas and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 233 associates’s culinary arts degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Escoffier - Austin, the school also landed the #24 spot in our “Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts - Austin is $17,222 for Southwest Region Associate Degree Culinary Arts students whose families make $48-$75k.
Read full report on Culinary Arts at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts - Austin
Culinary Institute Inc did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools for an Associate in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #25. Located in Houston, Texas, this small private for-profit school awarded 113 diplomas to qualified associates’s culinary arts students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Culinary Institute Inc is $28,168 for southwest region associate degree culinary arts students whose families make $48-$75k.
The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
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Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Culinary Arts (Income $48-$75k) in the Middle Atlantic Region
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Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for General Cooking & Related Culinary Arts (Income $48-$75k) in the Southwest Region
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Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Restaurant, Culinary, & Catering Management/Manager (Income $48-$75k) in the Southwest Region
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Best Culinary Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Southwest Region
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Most Focused Associate Degree Colleges for Culinary Arts in the Southwest Region
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Most Popular Associate Degree Online Culinary Arts Schools
Culinary Arts students in the Southwest Region
Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Culinary Arts (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region
Culinary Arts students with family income less than $30k in the Southwest Region
Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Culinary Arts (Income $48-$75k) in the Southwest Region
Culinary Arts students with family income $48-$75k in the Southwest Region
Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Culinary Arts (Income Over $110k) in the Southwest Region
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Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Culinary Arts (Income $30-$48k) in the Southwest Region
Culinary Arts students with family income $30-$48k in the Southwest Region
Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Culinary Arts (Income $75-$110k) in the Southwest Region
Culinary Arts students with family income $75-$110k in the Southwest Region
Notes and References
References
- 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).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
Footnotes
- *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
Credits
- Credit for the banner image above goes to U.S. Army Europe Images.
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