2026 Best Value Baking & Pastry Arts/Baker/Pastry Chef Schools in Wisconsin
[Baking & Pastry Arts/Baker/Pastry Chef](/majors/personal-and-culinary-services/culinary-arts/baking-and-pastry-arts-baker-pastry-chef/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find the best return on investment for baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef students.
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2026 Best Value Baking & Pastry Arts/Baker/Pastry Chef Schools in Wisconsin
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Baking & Pastry Arts/Baker/Pastry Chef Schools
Leading the list is Lakeshore Technical College, our #1 best value for baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef in Wisconsin. Lakeshore Technical College is a mid-sized public school located in the rural area of Cleveland. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,844, compared with $7,087 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef graduates is $11,582. Soon after graduation, baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef degree recipients from Lakeshore Technical College generally make around $41,252. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Gateway Technical College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef schools. Gateway Technical College is a large public school located in the city of Kenosha. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,956, with out-of-state students paying around $7,199. Students borrow a median of $14,829 to complete the baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef program here. Early-career baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef graduates make about $42,410. Set against $14,829 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Waukesha County Technical College came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef schools. Set in the suburb of Pewaukee, Waukesha County Technical College is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,803, with out-of-state students paying around $7,046. Baking & Pastry Arts/baker/pastry Chef graduates carry a median of $16,595 in student loans. Soon after graduation, baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef degree recipients from Waukesha County Technical College generally make around $46,398. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Milwaukee Area Technical College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef, landing the #4 spot this year. Milwaukee Area Technical College is a very large public school located in the city of Milwaukee. In-state tuition and fees average $5,184, with out-of-state students paying around $7,427. Students borrow a median of $19,386 to complete the baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef program here. Soon after graduation, baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef degree recipients from Milwaukee Area Technical College generally make around $25,304. Set against $19,386 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Fox Valley Technical College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Appleton, Fox Valley Technical College is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $5,040 in tuition and fees, compared with $7,283 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef graduates is $14,234. Soon after graduation, baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef degree recipients from Fox Valley Technical College generally make around $34,736. That is a strong return on a $14,234 median debt.
Chippewa Valley Technical College placed #6 among the best values for baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef. Located in the city of Eau Claire, Chippewa Valley Technical College is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $4,844 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $7,087. Baking & Pastry Arts/baker/pastry Chef graduates carry a median of $14,234 in student loans. Baking & Pastry Arts/baker/pastry Chef graduates of Chippewa Valley Technical College earn a median of $45,531 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $14,234 median debt.
Madison Area Technical College landed the #7 spot for baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef value this year. Located in the city of Madison, Madison Area Technical College is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,977, compared with $7,141 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $16,812 to complete the baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef program here. Early-career baking & pastry arts/baker/pastry chef graduates make about $44,279. That is a strong return on a $16,812 median debt.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
