Culinary Arts
Quick Facts: Culinary Arts Training
Where it's offered
Culinary Arts programs are offered at 137 schools across 41 states. Most students attend a school within driving distance of home — use the state picker below to see programs near you.
Earnings expectations
Graduates earn approximately $23,994/year on average one year after completion, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard. Pay scales with experience, certifications, and regional cost-of-living.
Apprenticeship pathways
The U.S. Department of Labor recognizes 17 registered apprenticeship pathways related to Culinary Arts — earn-while-you-learn alternatives to traditional schooling. See apprenticeship.gov for the federal registry.
Program quality benchmark
Across the 137 schools we analyze, the average TradeSchoolOutlook Score is 55/100. Higher-scoring programs combine strong graduate earnings, manageable cost, and strong job-market demand — see the leaderboard further down for the highest-rated options.
What Culinary Arts Graduates Do
Your career will likely begin in the controlled chaos of a professional kitchen. As a restaurant cook, you'll spend your days prepping ingredients with precision and working the line during a busy service, mastering the grill, sauté pans, and fryer. This path is seeing incredible growth, with huge demand for skilled cooks.
Read more
After mastering the line, you can advance to a first-line supervisor or food service manager. Your focus will shift from cooking to leading, as you manage inventory, create staff schedules, and ensure every plate meets the highest standards. This leadership track offers a significant pay increase, with experienced managers earning far more than entry-level cooks. It’s a career built on taste, touch, and timing—skills that can't be automated or done from a desk. With dedication, you can progress to become a head chef, a specialized baker, or even run your own establishment.
Closely-related paths include Apparel & Textiles, Nutrition & Food Science, and Management Sciences, which share overlapping job markets and training components.
Registered Apprenticeship Pathways
The U.S. Department of Labor recognizes 17 registered apprenticeship occupations related to Culinary Arts. Apprenticeships let you earn while you learn — most have zero tuition costs and pay wages from day one.
| Apprenticeship | Training Hours | Type | Salary RangeSalary | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Baker (Bake Produce)
RAPIDS 28 |
6000 hrs
~3.0 yrs |
Time | $31K – $36,650 – $43K | 5.6% |
|
Baker (Hotel & Restaurant)
RAPIDS 776 |
6000 hrs
~3.0 yrs |
Time | $31K – $36,650 – $43K | 5.6% |
|
Bartender
RAPIDS 608 |
2000 hrs
~1.0 yrs |
Time | $26K – $33,530 – $47K | 5.9% |
|
Butcher, Allround
RAPIDS 662 |
6000 hrs
~3.0 yrs |
Time | $36K – $39,790 – $46K | 2.2% |
|
Butcher, Meat (Hotel & Restaurant)
RAPIDS 894 |
6000 hrs
~3.0 yrs |
Time | $34K – $38,960 – $47K | 1.0% |
|
Chef De Parti (Existing Title: Cook Hotel & Restaurant)
RAPIDS 0663CB |
Competency | Competency | $31K – $36,830 – $44K | 14.9% |
|
Chief, Cook (Water Transportation)
RAPIDS 1053 |
4000 hrs
~2.0 yrs |
Time | $48K – $60,990 – $77K | 7.1% |
|
Chief, Cook (Water Transportation)
RAPIDS 1053CL |
Competency | Competency | $48K – $60,990 – $77K | 7.1% |
|
Cook (Any Ind) (Alternate Title: Nutrition Care Specialist)
RAPIDS 90 |
4000 hrs
~2.0 yrs |
Time | $31K – $36,450 – $43K | 2.0% |
|
Cook (Hotel & Restaurant)
RAPIDS 663 |
6000 hrs
~3.0 yrs |
Time | $31K – $36,830 – $44K | 14.9% |
|
Cook (Hotel & Restaurant) (Alternate Title: Sous Chef)
RAPIDS 0663HY |
4000-6000 hrs | Hybrid | $31K – $36,830 – $44K | 14.9% |
|
Cook (Hotel & Restaurant) (Alternate Title: Cullinarian)
RAPIDS 0663CB |
CB hrs | Competency | $31K – $36,830 – $44K | 14.9% |
|
Cook, Pastry (Hotel & Restaurant)
RAPIDS 722 |
6000 hrs
~3.0 yrs |
Time | $31K – $36,650 – $43K | 5.6% |
|
Cook, Pastry (Hotel & Restaurant)
RAPIDS 0722HY |
4000-6000 hrs | Hybrid | $31K – $36,650 – $43K | 5.6% |
|
Manager, Food Service
RAPIDS 593 |
6000 hrs
~3.0 yrs |
Time | $53K – $65,310 – $82K | 6.4% |
|
Meat Cutter
RAPIDS 316 |
6000 hrs
~3.0 yrs |
Time | $34K – $38,960 – $47K | 1.0% |
|
Restaurant Manager (Existing Title: Manager, Food Service)
RAPIDS 0593CB |
Competency | Competency | $53K – $65,310 – $82K | 6.4% |
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Registered Apprenticeship Partners Information Database (RAPIDS). Wages and job growth from Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034 projections.
Find Culinary Arts Programs in Your State
Trade and community college programs are local decisions — most students pick a school within driving distance. Culinary Arts is offered at 137 schools across 41 states. Pick your state to see a local comparison (states with fewer programs link to the state hub).
Top Culinary Arts Programs Nationally
For context, here are the highest-scoring Culinary Arts programs in the country. Most students attend a school within 60 miles of home, so your state list above is usually more actionable — but these are the benchmarks others compete against.
Top 20 of 137 schools ranked by TradeSchoolOutlook Score. Click any row for full earnings projections and career analysis.
Highest Earning Culinary Arts Programs
Schools where Culinary Arts graduates earn the most in their first year after graduation.
| School | 1-Year Earnings | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Johnson County Community College | $38,977/yr | 82 |
| Southeast Community College Area | $36,734/yr | 83 |
| Cincinnati State Technical and Community College | $36,330/yr | 70 |
| Fox Valley Technical College | $34,736/yr | 71 |
| Washtenaw Community College | $33,382/yr | 75 |
| Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College | $32,602/yr | 74 |
| Saint Paul College | $32,478/yr | 73 |
| Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science | $32,023/yr | 59 |
| Salt Lake Community College | $31,788/yr | 68 |
| Dallas College | $31,770/yr | 75 |
Best ROI for Culinary Arts
Schools with the highest earnings-to-tuition ratio for Culinary Arts.
| School | ROI Multiple | Earnings | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas College | 127.6x | $30,484/yr | 80 |
| Southeast Community College Area | 102.8x | $36,734/yr | 83 |
| NorthWest Arkansas Community College | 86.2x | $25,996/yr | 74 |
| Johnson County Community College | 85.1x | $38,977/yr | 82 |
| Texarkana College | 76.9x | $19,284/yr | 68 |
| Central New Mexico Community College | 70.9x | $23,139/yr | 69 |
| Grand Rapids Community College | 67.1x | $27,630/yr | 72 |
| Dallas College | 66.0x | $31,770/yr | 75 |
| Guilford Technical Community College | 64.2x | $14,813/yr | 62 |
| Valencia College | 58.8x | $25,227/yr | 68 |
Related Majors
Explore similar fields of study.
Considering a 4-Year Degree?
Compare the trade route with a bachelor's degree. See how Culinary Arts degree programs stack up on earnings and ROI.