[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. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 26 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for general cooking & related culinary arts students.
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Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general cooking & related culinary arts, balancing cost against outcomes.
Our analysis ranked Pima Community College the best value for a degree in general cooking & related culinary arts in the Southwest Region. Set in the city of Tucson, Pima Community College is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,442, while out-of-state students pay about $7,758. Students borrow a median of $10,655 to complete the general cooking & related culinary arts program here. Early-career general cooking & related culinary arts graduates make about $40,977. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Central New Mexico Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general cooking & related culinary arts, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Albuquerque, Central New Mexico Community College is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $2,060 in tuition and fees, compared with $8,684 for out-of-state students. General Cooking & Related Culinary Arts graduates carry a median of $10,112 in student loans. Early-career general cooking & related culinary arts graduates make about $23,139. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
El Paso Community College came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value general cooking & related culinary arts schools. Located in the city of El Paso, El Paso Community College is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $3,274, while out-of-state students pay about $5,314. Typical student debt for general cooking & related culinary arts graduates is $8,542. Soon after graduation, general cooking & related culinary arts degree recipients from El Paso Community College generally make around $29,086. Set against $8,542 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Central Arizona College came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value general cooking & related culinary arts schools. Central Arizona College is a moderately-sized public school located in the rural area of Coolidge. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,250, compared with $4,500 for out-of-state students. General Cooking & Related Culinary Arts graduates carry a median of $11,635 in student loans. Early-career general cooking & related culinary arts graduates make about $48,826. That is a strong return on a $11,635 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in general cooking & related culinary arts will find it at Yavapai College, which ranked #5. Located in the city of Prescott, Yavapai College is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,948, compared with $9,486 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general cooking & related culinary arts graduates is $14,087. Soon after graduation, general cooking & related culinary arts degree recipients from Yavapai College generally make around $52,087. That is a strong return on a $14,087 median debt.
Francis Tuttle Technology Center came in at #6 for value in general cooking & related culinary arts this year. Set in the city of Oklahoma City, Francis Tuttle Technology Center is a mid-sized public institution. General Cooking & Related Culinary Arts graduates carry a median of $14,859 in student loans. Early-career general cooking & related culinary arts graduates make about $20,284. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Meridian Technology Center earned the #7 position for value in general cooking & related culinary arts this year. Located in the town of Stillwater, Meridian Technology Center is a small public university. Early-career general cooking & related culinary arts graduates make about $61,765.
Mohave Community College ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best value general cooking & related culinary arts schools. Set in the rural area of Kingman, Mohave Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,208, while out-of-state students pay about $7,968. Students borrow a median of $14,766 to complete the general cooking & related culinary arts program here. General Cooking & Related Culinary Arts graduates of Mohave Community College earn a median of $54,785 early in their careers. Set against $14,766 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Caddo Kiowa Technology Center placed #9 among the best values for general cooking & related culinary arts. Set in the rural area of Fort Cobb, Caddo Kiowa Technology Center is a small public institution. Graduates go on to earn a median of $21,576 ten years after entry.
Indian Capital Technology Center Muskogee placed #10 among the best values for general cooking & related culinary arts. Indian Capital Technology Center Muskogee is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Muskogee. Students borrow a median of $9,500 to complete the general cooking & related culinary arts program here. Soon after graduation, general cooking & related culinary arts degree recipients from Indian Capital Technology Center Muskogee generally make around $28,526. Set against $9,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Cochise College placed #11 among the best values for general cooking & related culinary arts. Set in the city of Sierra Vista, Cochise College is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $2,280, while out-of-state students pay about $6,120. Typical student debt for general cooking & related culinary arts graduates is $12,013. Early-career general cooking & related culinary arts graduates make about $40,712. That is a strong return on a $12,013 median debt.
Kiamichi Technology Center Mcalester came in at #12 for value in general cooking & related culinary arts this year. Located in the town of McAlester, Kiamichi Technology Center Mcalester is a mid-sized public university. Typical student debt for general cooking & related culinary arts graduates is $7,992. Soon after graduation, general cooking & related culinary arts degree recipients from Kiamichi Technology Center Mcalester generally make around $23,377. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Northeast Technology Center System Office earned the #13 position for value in general cooking & related culinary arts this year. Northeast Technology Center System Office is a small public school located in the town of Pryor. Soon after graduation, general cooking & related culinary arts degree recipients from Northeast Technology Center System Office generally make around $35,262.
Metro Technology Centers ranked #14 on our 2026 list of the best value general cooking & related culinary arts schools. Located in the city of Oklahoma City, Metro Technology Centers is a small public university. Typical student debt for general cooking & related culinary arts graduates is $15,833. Soon after graduation, general cooking & related culinary arts degree recipients from Metro Technology Centers generally make around $48,236. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Great Plains Technology Center came in at #15 for value in general cooking & related culinary arts this year. Set in the city of Lawton, Great Plains Technology Center is a small public institution. Typical student debt for general cooking & related culinary arts graduates is $11,759. Soon after graduation, general cooking & related culinary arts degree recipients from Great Plains Technology Center generally make around $48,921. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Oklahoma State University Institute Of Technology Okmulgee earned the #16 position for value in general cooking & related culinary arts this year. Located in the town of Okmulgee, Oklahoma State University Institute Of Technology Okmulgee is a mid-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $5,774 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $11,384. General Cooking & Related Culinary Arts graduates carry a median of $12,500 in student loans. General Cooking & Related Culinary Arts graduates of Oklahoma State University Institute Of Technology Okmulgee earn a median of $52,354 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Culinary Institute Inc earned the #17 position for value in general cooking & related culinary arts this year. Set in the city of Houston, Culinary Institute Inc is a small private for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $18,803. Typical student debt for general cooking & related culinary arts graduates is $20,144. Soon after graduation, general cooking & related culinary arts degree recipients from Culinary Institute Inc generally make around $24,664. That is a strong return on a $20,144 median debt.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 26 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.
