2027 Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Schools in Virginia
[Personal & Culinary Services](/majors/personal-and-culinary-services/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong personal & culinary services education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 22 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value personal & culinary services schools.
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2027 Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Schools in Virginia
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
Rappahannock Community College earned the #1 spot for value among personal & culinary services schools in Virginia. Set in the rural area of Glenns, Rappahannock Community College is a mid-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,102, compared with $11,540 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $8,997 to complete the personal & culinary services program here. Personal & Culinary Services graduates of Rappahannock Community College earn a median of $43,398 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Virginia Western Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in personal & culinary services, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Roanoke, Virginia Western Community College is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $5,400, compared with $11,838 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $13,715 to complete the personal & culinary services program here. Early-career personal & culinary services graduates make about $36,245. Set against $13,715 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #3 makes J Sargeant Reynolds Community College one of the best values for personal & culinary services. J Sargeant Reynolds Community College is a large public school located in the suburb of Richmond. Students from in state pay about $5,280 in tuition and fees, compared with $11,718 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for personal & culinary services graduates is $16,131. Early-career personal & culinary services graduates make about $36,965. Set against $16,131 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
John Tyler Community College came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value personal & culinary services schools. Located in the suburb of Chester, John Tyler Community College is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $5,082 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $11,520. Typical student debt for personal & culinary services graduates is $11,262. Soon after graduation, personal & culinary services degree recipients from John Tyler Community College generally make around $49,205. That is a strong return on a $11,262 median debt.
Central Virginia Community College came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value personal & culinary services schools. Set in the city of Lynchburg, Central Virginia Community College is a mid-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $5,157 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $11,595. Personal & Culinary Services graduates carry a median of $10,384 in student loans. Early-career personal & culinary services graduates make about $32,309. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Tidewater Community College came in at #6 for value in personal & culinary services this year. Located in the city of Norfolk, Tidewater Community College is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,858, with out-of-state students paying around $12,296. Typical student debt for personal & culinary services graduates is $19,671. Personal & Culinary Services graduates of Tidewater Community College earn a median of $24,136 early in their careers. Set against $19,671 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Staunton School Of Cosmetology landed the #7 spot for personal & culinary services value this year. Located in the city of Staunton, Staunton School Of Cosmetology is a small private for-profit university. Soon after graduation, personal & culinary services degree recipients from Staunton School Of Cosmetology generally make around $19,581.
Dermal Science International Aesthetics And Nail Academy ranked #8 on our 2027 list of the best value personal & culinary services schools. Located in the city of Reston, Dermal Science International Aesthetics And Nail Academy is a small private for-profit university. Personal & Culinary Services graduates carry a median of $8,517 in student loans. Early-career personal & culinary services graduates make about $22,763.
Avi Career Training ranked #9 on our 2027 list of the best value personal & culinary services schools. Set in the suburb of vienna, Avi Career Training is a small private for-profit institution. Students borrow a median of $6,333 to complete the personal & culinary services program here. Soon after graduation, personal & culinary services degree recipients from Avi Career Training generally make around $15,607. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Another Level Barbering And Cosmetology School earned the #10 position for value in personal & culinary services this year. Another Level Barbering And Cosmetology School is a small private for-profit school located in the suburb of Petersburg. Personal & Culinary Services graduates carry a median of $16,500 in student loans. Early-career personal & culinary services graduates make about $11,506.
Culpeper Cosmetology Training Center came in at #11 for value in personal & culinary services this year. Set in the town of Culpeper, Culpeper Cosmetology Training Center is a small public institution. Typical student debt for personal & culinary services graduates is $13,666. Personal & Culinary Services graduates of Culpeper Cosmetology Training Center earn a median of $21,937 early in their careers.
Ecpi University earned the #12 position for value in personal & culinary services this year. Located in the city of Virginia Beach, Ecpi University is a large private for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $18,484. Typical student debt for personal & culinary services graduates is $13,744. Personal & Culinary Services graduates of Ecpi University earn a median of $21,480 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 74% of applicants are accepted.
The Chrysm Insitute Of Esthetics came in at #13 for value in personal & culinary services this year. The Chrysm Insitute Of Esthetics is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Virginia Beach. Typical student debt for personal & culinary services graduates is $7,333. Early-career personal & culinary services graduates make about $23,974.
Paul Mitchell The School Roanoke landed the #14 spot for personal & culinary services value this year. Paul Mitchell The School Roanoke is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Roanoke. Typical student debt for personal & culinary services graduates is $13,833. Early-career personal & culinary services graduates make about $20,761. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Rudy And Kelly Academy A Paul Mitchell Partner School ranked #15 on our 2027 list of the best value personal & culinary services schools. Rudy And Kelly Academy A Paul Mitchell Partner School is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Virginia Beach. Personal & Culinary Services graduates carry a median of $16,184 in student loans. Early-career personal & culinary services graduates make about $20,028. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Tomorrows Image Barber And Beauty Academy Of Virginia landed the #16 spot for personal & culinary services value this year. Located in the city of Newport News, Tomorrows Image Barber And Beauty Academy Of Virginia is a small private for-profit university. Typical student debt for personal & culinary services graduates is $13,000. Personal & Culinary Services graduates of Tomorrows Image Barber And Beauty Academy Of Virginia earn a median of $11,572 early in their careers.
The Esthetic Institute landed the #17 spot for personal & culinary services value this year. Set in the suburb of Vienna, The Esthetic Institute is a small private for-profit institution. Students borrow a median of $11,208 to complete the personal & culinary services program here. Soon after graduation, personal & culinary services degree recipients from The Esthetic Institute generally make around $29,301.
Empire Beauty School Newport News came in at #18 for value in personal & culinary services this year. Set in the city of Newport News, Empire Beauty School Newport News is a small private for-profit institution. Typical student debt for personal & culinary services graduates is $13,583. Personal & Culinary Services graduates of Empire Beauty School Newport News earn a median of $15,679 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $13,583 median debt.
Empire Beauty School Richmond came in at #19 for value in personal & culinary services this year. Located in the suburb of Richmond, Empire Beauty School Richmond is a small private for-profit university. Typical student debt for personal & culinary services graduates is $13,583. Personal & Culinary Services graduates of Empire Beauty School Richmond earn a median of $15,679 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Empire Beauty School Virginia Beach ranked #20 on our 2027 list of the best value personal & culinary services schools. Empire Beauty School Virginia Beach is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Virginia Beach. Typical student debt for personal & culinary services graduates is $16,500. Early-career personal & culinary services graduates make about $17,113. Set against $16,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Empire Beauty School Midlothian placed #21 among the best values for personal & culinary services. Empire Beauty School Midlothian is a small private for-profit school located in the suburb of Midlothian. Typical student debt for personal & culinary services graduates is $13,583. Soon after graduation, personal & culinary services degree recipients from Empire Beauty School Midlothian generally make around $15,679. Set against $13,583 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Aveda Arts Sciences Institute Lafayette Arlington landed the #22 spot for personal & culinary services value this year. Located in the city of Arlington, Aveda Arts Sciences Institute Lafayette Arlington is a small private for-profit university. Personal & Culinary Services graduates carry a median of $9,557 in student loans. Soon after graduation, personal & culinary services degree recipients from Aveda Arts Sciences Institute Lafayette Arlington generally make around $14,397. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 22 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 22 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.
