Home›Majors›Culinary Arts and Related Services

UNDERGRADUATE CERTIFICATE OR DIPLOMA · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 1205

Culinary Arts and Related Services: is this undergraduate certificate or diploma worth it?

National picture across 99 reporting college programs.

Personal baseline needed

$33,155 in median year-4 earnings

A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.

$33,155Median year-4 earnings

$13,547Average institution net-price context

$11,834Median federal debt

Use your actual price and alternative earnings before evaluating return. Model your own starting point →

WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$33,155Median reported earnings · year 4

$25,173Average reported earnings · year 5

$11,834Median federal debt

14thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

99Reporting programs

89With year-4 earnings

COMPARE CREDENTIAL LEVELS

The same field can produce a different equation.

Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.

CURRENT VIEW

Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma

Year-4 earnings: $33,155
Federal debt: $11,834
Reporting programs: 99

89 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Associate's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $38,508
Federal debt: $15,584
Reporting programs: 111

108 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $47,139
Federal debt: $27,000
Reporting programs: 20

20 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $51,558
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 1

1 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)

Year-4 earnings: $31,636
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 1

1 report earnings →

COLLEGE-TO-COLLEGE RANGE

Where the middle half of programs lands

Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.

Median

25th percentile$27,210National median$33,15575th percentile$37,522

89 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1Scottsdale Community College$52,191 2Miami Dade College$50,344 3Saint Paul College$47,176 4Institute of Culinary Education$46,893 5Institute of Culinary Education$46,893 6Arizona Culinary Institute$44,800 7Dallas College$44,490 8Madison Area Technical College$44,206 9Brookdale Community College$44,037 10Southeast Community College Area$42,728

Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking

WHERE THIS FIELD CAN LEAD

Related occupations

Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.

Chefs and Head CooksSOC 35-1011 · 5 crosswalk linksCooks, All OtherSOC 35-2019 · 4 crosswalk linksFirst-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving WorkersSOC 35-1012 · 4 crosswalk linksCooks, Institution and CafeteriaSOC 35-2012 · 3 crosswalk linksCooks, Private HouseholdSOC 35-2013 · 3 crosswalk linksFood Service ManagersSOC 11-9051 · 3 crosswalk linksCooks, RestaurantSOC 35-2014 · 2 crosswalk linksBakersSOC 51-3011 · 1 crosswalk linksBartendersSOC 35-3011 · 1 crosswalk linksButchers and Meat CuttersSOC 51-3021 · 1 crosswalk linksFood Scientists and TechnologistsSOC 19-1012 · 1 crosswalk linksNO MATCHSOC 99-9999 · 1 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR CULINARY ARTS AND RELATED SERVICES

Same degree, different outcomes

Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.

#	College	Location	Earnings, year 4	Federal debt	ROI status	Cost context
1	Scottsdale Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Scottsdale, AZ	$52,191	Not available	Baseline needed	$13,336
2	Miami Dade CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Miami, FL	$50,344	$10,882	Baseline needed	$5,463
3	Saint Paul CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Saint Paul, MN	$47,176	$17,500	Baseline needed	$11,495
4	Institute of Culinary EducationUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	New York, NY	$46,893	$6,777	Baseline needed	Not available
5	Institute of Culinary EducationUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Pasadena, CA	$46,893	$6,777	Baseline needed	Not available
6	Arizona Culinary InstituteUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Scottsdale, AZ	$44,800	$9,500	Baseline needed	$38,815
7	Dallas CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Dallas, TX	$44,490	$9,218	Baseline needed	$3,214
8	Madison Area Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Madison, WI	$44,206	Not available	Baseline needed	$14,238
9	Brookdale Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Lincroft, NJ	$44,037	Not available	Baseline needed	$11,231
10	Southeast Community College AreaUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Lincoln, NE	$42,728	$19,146	Baseline needed	$9,171
11	Cabrillo CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Aptos, CA	$41,932	Not available	Baseline needed	$15,843
12	Grand Rapids Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Grand Rapids, MI	$40,542	$12,125	Baseline needed	$8,621
13	Hillsborough CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Tampa, FL	$40,090	$19,657	Baseline needed	$3,861
14	Nashville State Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Nashville, TN	$39,677	Not available	Baseline needed	$6,777
15	Indiana University of PennsylvaniaUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Indiana, PA	$39,623	$12,000	Baseline needed	$16,804
16	Milwaukee Area Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Milwaukee, WI	$39,564	Not available	Baseline needed	$9,112
17	Jna Institute of Culinary ArtsUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Philadelphia, PA	$39,278	Not available	Baseline needed	$19,404
18	Holyoke Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Holyoke, MA	$39,070	Not available	Baseline needed	$8,068
19	Pinellas Technical College-ClearwaterUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Clearwater, FL	$38,684	Not available	Baseline needed	$21,932
20	Tarrant County College DistrictUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Fort Worth, TX	$37,763	Not available	Baseline needed	$4,337
21	Wake Technical Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Raleigh, NC	$37,695	$13,226	Baseline needed	$8,759
22	Lincoln Technical Institute-New BritainUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	New Britain, CT	$37,522	$12,934	Baseline needed	$33,240
23	Lincoln College of Technology-ColumbiaUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Columbia, MD	$37,522	$12,934	Baseline needed	$34,306
24	Lincoln Technical Institute-SheltonUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Shelton, CT	$37,522	$12,934	Baseline needed	$38,521
25	Daytona State CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Daytona Beach, FL	$37,483	Not available	Baseline needed	$7,177
26	YTI Career Institute-YorkUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	York, PA	$36,929	$11,667	Baseline needed	$14,637
27	Western Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	La Crosse, WI	$36,635	$7,410	Baseline needed	$11,008
28	Francis Tuttle Technology CenterUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Oklahoma City, OK	$36,533	Not available	Baseline needed	$11,283
29	Lakeshore Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Cleveland, WI	$36,480	Not available	Baseline needed	$9,653
30	Trident Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Charleston, SC	$36,449	$15,000	Baseline needed	$1,406
31	City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Chicago, IL	$35,767	$9,687	Baseline needed	$9,494
32	Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-BoulderUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Boulder, CO	$35,587	$11,093	Baseline needed	$13,367
33	Minnesota State Community and Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Fergus Falls, MN	$35,268	Not available	Baseline needed	$12,556
34	Los Angeles Trade Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Los Angeles, CA	$35,196	Not available	Baseline needed	$12,323
35	Sheridan Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Hollywood, FL	$34,843	Not available	Baseline needed	$6,677
36	Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-AustinUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Austin, TX	$34,677	$13,300	Baseline needed	$19,564
37	Culinary Institute IncUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Houston, TX	$34,608	$12,458	Baseline needed	$30,428
38	Ozarks Technical Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Springfield, MO	$34,167	Not available	Baseline needed	$6,936
39	Emily Griffith Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Denver, CO	$33,862	$9,960	Baseline needed	$7,197
40	Dorsey CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Madison Heights, MI	$33,155	$13,000	Baseline needed	$28,525
41	Dorsey College-RosevilleUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Roseville, MI	$33,155	$13,000	Baseline needed	$29,232
42	Florida Education InstituteUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Miami, FL	$32,935	$9,500	Baseline needed	$36,273
43	William T McFatter Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Davie, FL	$32,805	Not available	Baseline needed	$11,901
44	Western Iowa Tech Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Sioux City, IA	$32,665	Not available	Baseline needed	$8,770
45	ECPI UniversityUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Virginia Beach, VA	$32,654	$9,445	Baseline needed	$22,965
46	Helms CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Augusta, GA	$32,439	$13,875	Baseline needed	$25,358
47	Virginia Western Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Roanoke, VA	$32,240	Not available	Baseline needed	$4,966
48	Withlacoochee Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Inverness, FL	$32,046	Not available	Baseline needed	$10,348
49	Erie Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Buffalo, NY	$31,930	Not available	Baseline needed	$7,765
50	Institute of TechnologyUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Clovis, CA	$31,421	$9,500	Baseline needed	$23,159
51	Henry Ford CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Dearborn, MI	$31,371	$19,144	Baseline needed	$660
52	Kansas City Kansas Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Kansas City, KS	$31,270	Not available	Baseline needed	$16,744
53	Lincoln Land Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Springfield, IL	$31,079	Not available	Baseline needed	$4,299
54	Tidewater Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Norfolk, VA	$30,842	$19,066	Baseline needed	$11,762
55	Miller-Motte College-ChattanoogaUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Chattanooga, TN	$30,682	$11,600	Baseline needed	$23,958
56	Texas State Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Waco, TX	$30,317	$10,721	Baseline needed	$13,508
57	Michigan Career and Technical InstituteUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Plainwell, MI	$28,229	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
58	Guilford Technical Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Jamestown, NC	$27,849	$31,724	Baseline needed	$15,002
59	Sinclair Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Dayton, OH	$27,210	$15,834	Baseline needed	$5,992
60	Crescent City Bartending SchoolUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	New Orleans, LA	$25,833	$3,167	Baseline needed	$19,311
61	Ocean County Vocational-Technical SchoolUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Toms River, NJ	$25,350	Not available	Baseline needed	$10,828
62	Fort Myers Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Fort Myers, FL	$24,902	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
63	Orange Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Orlando, FL	$23,220	Not available	Baseline needed	$10,525
64	Houston City CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Houston, TX	$22,990	Not available	Baseline needed	$5,737
65	Pikes Peak State CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Colorado Springs, CO	$22,848	Not available	Baseline needed	$6,007
66	South Louisiana Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Lafayette, LA	$22,441	Not available	Baseline needed	$12,564
67	Atlantic Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Coconut Creek, FL	$22,265	Not available	Baseline needed	$10,414
68	Riverside City CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Riverside, CA	$21,397	Not available	Baseline needed	$8,377
69	Escuela Hotelera de San JuanUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Hato Rey, PR	$20,903	$3,500	Baseline needed	$17,054
70	NUC UniversityUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Bayamon, PR	$20,364	$9,500	Baseline needed	$8,920
71	Academia Serrant IncUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Ponce, PR	$20,155	Not available	Baseline needed	$9,254
72	Inter American University of Puerto Rico-PonceUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Mercedita, PR	$18,319	$3,500	Baseline needed	$9,026
73	Inter American University of Puerto Rico-BayamonUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Bayamon, PR	$15,563	Not available	Baseline needed	$9,284
74	ICPR Junior College-AreciboUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Arecibo, PR	$14,880	Not available	Baseline needed	$6,735
75	ICPR Junior College-MayaguezUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Mayaguez, PR	$14,880	Not available	Baseline needed	$7,435
76	ICPR Junior CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Hato Rey, PR	$14,880	Not available	Baseline needed	$7,096
77	ICPR Junior CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Manati, PR	$14,880	Not available	Baseline needed	$6,605
78	Inter American University of Puerto Rico-AguadillaUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Aguadilla, PR	$13,956	Not available	Baseline needed	$8,742
79	Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-PonceUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Ponce, PR	$11,092	Not available	Baseline needed	$13,192
80	Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-MayaguezUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Mayaguez, PR	$11,092	Not available	Baseline needed	$11,502
81	IVAEM CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Caguas, PR	$8,305	Not available	Baseline needed	$9,707
82	Lake Land CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Mattoon, IL	Not available	$5,163	Baseline needed	$2,254
83	Delgado Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	New Orleans, LA	Not available	$32,125	Baseline needed	$9,747
84	Nunez Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Chalmette, LA	Not available	$15,000	Baseline needed	$12,529
85	Hinds Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Raymond, MS	Not available	$12,169	Baseline needed	$4,060
86	Southwestern Oregon Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Coos Bay, OR	Not available	$12,000	Baseline needed	$8,527
87	Remington College-Dallas CampusUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Dallas, TX	Not available	$9,500	Baseline needed	$29,805
88	NorthWest Arkansas Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Bentonville, AR	Not available	$12,500	Baseline needed	$7,196
89	Remington College-Memphis CampusUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Memphis, TN	Not available	$9,500	Baseline needed	$26,572
90	Remington College-Houston Southeast CampusUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	League City, TX	Not available	$9,500	Baseline needed	$20,927
91	The Culinary School of Fort WorthUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Fort Worth, TX	Not available	$9,500	Baseline needed	$24,296
92	Pittsburgh Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	,	$40,386	$12,000	Baseline needed	Not available
93	International Air and Hospitality AcademyUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	,	$37,273	$9,500	Baseline needed	Not available
94	Culinary Tech CenterUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	,	$34,685	$6,333	Baseline needed	Not available
95	AI Miami International University of Art and DesignUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	,	$33,550	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
96	Miami International University of Art & Design-Art Institute DallasUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	,	$33,550	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
97	The Art Institute of AtlantaUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	,	$31,014	$18,117	Baseline needed	Not available
98	The Art Institute of Virginia BeachUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	,	$31,014	$18,117	Baseline needed	Not available
99	University of Antelope ValleyUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	,	$29,038	$9,244	Baseline needed	Not available

This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.