[General Cooking & Related Culinary Arts](/majors/personal-and-culinary-services/culinary-arts/cooking-and-related-culinary-arts-general/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general cooking & related culinary arts education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 9 schools to find the best return on investment for general cooking & related culinary arts students.
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If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general cooking & related culinary arts degrees they offer, see the list below.
Leading the list is Utah Valley University, our #1 best value for general cooking & related culinary arts in the Rocky Mountains Region. Set in the city of Orem, Utah Valley University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $6,507 in tuition and fees, compared with $18,489 for out-of-state students. General Cooking & Related Culinary Arts graduates carry a median of $16,478 in student loans. Early-career general cooking & related culinary arts graduates make about $27,056. That is a strong return on a $16,478 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Red Rocks Community College earned it the #2 place for general cooking & related culinary arts. Located in the suburb of Lakewood, Red Rocks Community College is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,859, compared with $17,459 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $14,471 to complete the general cooking & related culinary arts program here. Early-career general cooking & related culinary arts graduates make about $76,340. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in general cooking & related culinary arts will find it at Pickens Technical College, which ranked #3. Located in the city of Aurora, Pickens Technical College is a small public university. In-state tuition and fees average $5,140, with out-of-state students paying around $9,250. Students borrow a median of $10,250 to complete the general cooking & related culinary arts program here. General Cooking & Related Culinary Arts graduates of Pickens Technical College earn a median of $35,622 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $10,250 median debt.
Pikes Peak Community College came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value general cooking & related culinary arts schools. Set in the suburb of Colorado Springs, Pikes Peak Community College is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $4,510 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $17,110. General Cooking & Related Culinary Arts graduates carry a median of $16,066 in student loans. General Cooking & Related Culinary Arts graduates of Pikes Peak Community College earn a median of $41,037 early in their careers. Set against $16,066 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #5 makes Pueblo Community College one of the best values for general cooking & related culinary arts. Located in the city of Pueblo, Pueblo Community College is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $5,049, while out-of-state students pay about $17,649. Typical student debt for general cooking & related culinary arts graduates is $14,106. General Cooking & Related Culinary Arts graduates of Pueblo Community College earn a median of $42,377 early in their careers. Set against $14,106 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Auguste Escoffier School Of Culinary Arts Boulder came in at #6 for value in general cooking & related culinary arts this year. Auguste Escoffier School Of Culinary Arts Boulder is a large private for-profit school located in the city of Boulder. Typical student debt for general cooking & related culinary arts graduates is $14,198. General Cooking & Related Culinary Arts graduates of Auguste Escoffier School Of Culinary Arts Boulder earn a median of $27,953 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Mesa State College came in at #7 for value in general cooking & related culinary arts this year. Set in the city of Grand Junction, Mesa State College is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,927 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $25,124. General Cooking & Related Culinary Arts graduates carry a median of $22,310 in student loans. General Cooking & Related Culinary Arts graduates of Mesa State College earn a median of $43,617 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,310 median debt. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
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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 · 9 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.
