2026 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools in North Carolina
[Culinary Arts/Chef Training](/majors/personal-and-culinary-services/culinary-arts/culinary-arts-chef-training/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong culinary arts/chef training education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 26 schools to find the best return on investment for culinary arts/chef training students.
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2026 Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools in North Carolina
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the culinary arts/chef training degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Culinary Arts/Chef Training Schools
Leading the list is Wilkes Community College, our #1 best value for culinary arts/chef training in North Carolina. Set in the town of Wilkesboro, Wilkes Community College is a mid-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,572, while out-of-state students pay about $8,716. Culinary Arts/chef Training graduates carry a median of $9,125 in student loans. Soon after graduation, culinary arts/chef training degree recipients from Wilkes Community College generally make around $36,341. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Central Piedmont Community College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value culinary arts/chef training schools. Central Piedmont Community College is a very large public school located in the city of Charlotte. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,792, compared with $8,936 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $11,861 to complete the culinary arts/chef training program here. Early-career culinary arts/chef training graduates make about $27,127. That is a strong return on a $11,861 median debt.
Fayetteville Technical Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in culinary arts/chef training, landing the #3 spot this year. Fayetteville Technical Community College is a large public school located in the city of Fayetteville. In-state tuition and fees average $2,628, while out-of-state students pay about $8,772. Students borrow a median of $16,909 to complete the culinary arts/chef training program here. Culinary Arts/chef Training graduates of Fayetteville Technical Community College earn a median of $40,584 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Durham Technical Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in culinary arts/chef training, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the city of Durham, Durham Technical Community College is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,240, with out-of-state students paying around $7,531. Typical student debt for culinary arts/chef training graduates is $20,408. Soon after graduation, culinary arts/chef training degree recipients from Durham Technical Community College generally make around $46,293. Set against $20,408 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Nash Community College came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value culinary arts/chef training schools. Set in the rural area of Rocky Mount, Nash Community College is a mid-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $2,866 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $8,866. Typical student debt for culinary arts/chef training graduates is $16,969. Early-career culinary arts/chef training graduates make about $45,512. That is a strong return on a $16,969 median debt.
College Of The Albemarle placed #6 among the best values for culinary arts/chef training. College Of The Albemarle is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Elizabeth City. Students from in state pay about $2,242 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $7,652. Culinary Arts/chef Training graduates carry a median of $10,240 in student loans. Soon after graduation, culinary arts/chef training degree recipients from College Of The Albemarle generally make around $50,506. Set against $10,240 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Southwestern Community College Sylva ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value culinary arts/chef training schools. Located in the town of Sylva, Southwestern Community College Sylva is a mid-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $4,112, with out-of-state students paying around $13,184. Typical student debt for culinary arts/chef training graduates is $13,708. Culinary Arts/chef Training graduates of Southwestern Community College Sylva earn a median of $36,418 early in their careers. Set against $13,708 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Cape Fear Community College landed the #8 spot for culinary arts/chef training value this year. Set in the city of Wilmington, Cape Fear Community College is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,748, compared with $8,892 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for culinary arts/chef training graduates is $12,388. Soon after graduation, culinary arts/chef training degree recipients from Cape Fear Community College generally make around $42,889. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Caldwell Community College And Technical Institute ranked #9 on our 2026 list of the best value culinary arts/chef training schools. Set in the suburb of Hudson, Caldwell Community College And Technical Institute is a mid-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,528, while out-of-state students pay about $6,528. Culinary Arts/chef Training graduates carry a median of $8,750 in student loans. Soon after graduation, culinary arts/chef training degree recipients from Caldwell Community College And Technical Institute generally make around $44,734. That is a strong return on a $8,750 median debt.
Wake Technical Community College ranked #10 on our 2026 list of the best value culinary arts/chef training schools. Set in the suburb of Raleigh, Wake Technical Community College is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,254, with out-of-state students paying around $6,862. Typical student debt for culinary arts/chef training graduates is $13,226. Early-career culinary arts/chef training graduates make about $38,673. Set against $13,226 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Coastal Carolina Community College came in at #11 for value in culinary arts/chef training this year. Set in the city of Jacksonville, Coastal Carolina Community College is a mid-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,512, compared with $8,656 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $7,125 to complete the culinary arts/chef training program here. Early-career culinary arts/chef training graduates make about $37,831. Set against $7,125 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Carteret Community College landed the #12 spot for culinary arts/chef training value this year. Set in the town of Morehead City, Carteret Community College is a mid-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,310, with out-of-state students paying around $8,222. Culinary Arts/chef Training graduates carry a median of $5,566 in student loans. Soon after graduation, culinary arts/chef training degree recipients from Carteret Community College generally make around $48,953. Set against $5,566 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College earned the #13 position for value in culinary arts/chef training this year. Set in the city of Asheville, Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $2,882, while out-of-state students pay about $9,026. Typical student debt for culinary arts/chef training graduates is $18,883. Culinary Arts/chef Training graduates of Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College earn a median of $32,602 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Guilford Technical Community College landed the #14 spot for culinary arts/chef training value this year. Set in the suburb of Jamestown, Guilford Technical Community College is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,320, with out-of-state students paying around $7,696. Students borrow a median of $32,169 to complete the culinary arts/chef training program here. Culinary Arts/chef Training graduates of Guilford Technical Community College earn a median of $14,813 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $32,169 median debt.
Alamance Community College placed #15 among the best values for culinary arts/chef training. Located in the suburb of Graham, Alamance Community College is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,592, while out-of-state students pay about $8,736. Culinary Arts/chef Training graduates carry a median of $6,625 in student loans. Soon after graduation, culinary arts/chef training degree recipients from Alamance Community College generally make around $37,585. That is a strong return on a $6,625 median debt.
Johnson And Wales University Charlotte came in at #16 for value in culinary arts/chef training this year. Set in the city of Charlotte, Johnson And Wales University Charlotte is a small private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $41,982. Typical student debt for culinary arts/chef training graduates is $14,745. Soon after graduation, culinary arts/chef training degree recipients from Johnson And Wales University Charlotte generally make around $30,145. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, 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 5 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.
