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College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
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2026 Best Value Institutional Food Workers Associate’s Degree Schools

1 Colleges in the United States
$14,619 Avg Student Debt
$39,313 Avg Median Earnings (10yr)
2026 Best Value Institutional Food Workers Associate's Degree Badge [Institutional Food Workers](/majors/personal-and-culinary-services/culinary-arts/institutional-food-workers/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 28 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for institutional food workers students.

What’s on this page:

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2026 Best Value Institutional Food Workers Schools in the United States

If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the institutional food workers degrees they offer, see the list below.

Best Value Institutional Food Workers Schools

1

Trident Technical College tops our 2026 list of the best value institutional food workers schools in the United States. Set in the city of Charleston, Trident Technical College is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,546, while out-of-state students pay about $8,620. Students borrow a median of $15,000 to complete the institutional food workers program here. Early-career institutional food workers graduates make about $50,166. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.

2

Horry Georgetown Technical College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in institutional food workers, landing the #2 spot this year. Horry Georgetown Technical College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Conway. Students from in state pay about $5,518 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $10,978. Typical student debt for institutional food workers graduates is $19,500. Early-career institutional food workers graduates make about $24,466. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.

3
Salt Lake Community College crest
Salt Lake Community College
Salt Lake City, UT

Students looking for strong value in institutional food workers will find it at Salt Lake Community College, which ranked #3. Salt Lake Community College is a very large public school located in the suburb of Salt Lake City. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,426, while out-of-state students pay about $14,244. Institutional Food Workers graduates carry a median of $10,855 in student loans. Institutional Food Workers graduates of Salt Lake Community College earn a median of $31,788 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.

4

A rank of #4 makes Greenville Technical College one of the best values for institutional food workers. Located in the city of Greenville, Greenville Technical College is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $5,495 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $10,775. Typical student debt for institutional food workers graduates is $19,434. Soon after graduation, institutional food workers degree recipients from Greenville Technical College generally make around $26,268. That is a strong return on a $19,434 median debt.

5

Students looking for strong value in institutional food workers will find it at San Jacinto Community College, which ranked #5. San Jacinto Community College is a very large public school located in the city of Pasadena. In-state tuition and fees average $2,490, while out-of-state students pay about $6,690. Institutional Food Workers graduates carry a median of $11,376 in student loans. Soon after graduation, institutional food workers degree recipients from San Jacinto Community College generally make around $38,107. That is a strong return on a $11,376 median debt.

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6

Atlantic Cape Community College placed #6 among the best values for institutional food workers. Located in the rural area of Mays Landing, Atlantic Cape Community College is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,594, with out-of-state students paying around $8,350. Institutional Food Workers graduates carry a median of $11,000 in student loans. Early-career institutional food workers graduates make about $37,141. Set against $11,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.

7

Southeast Community College Area came in at #7 for value in institutional food workers this year. Located in the city of Lincoln, Southeast Community College Area is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,444, compared with $4,032 for out-of-state students. Institutional Food Workers graduates carry a median of $19,146 in student loans. Soon after graduation, institutional food workers degree recipients from Southeast Community College Area generally make around $26,446. Set against $19,146 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.

8

Pierpont Community And Technical College landed the #8 spot for institutional food workers value this year. Pierpont Community And Technical College is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Fairmont. In-state tuition and fees average $5,762, while out-of-state students pay about $13,660. Typical student debt for institutional food workers graduates is $16,268. Early-career institutional food workers graduates make about $26,399. That is a strong return on a $16,268 median debt.

9
Carteret Community College crest
Carteret Community College
Morehead City, NC

Carteret Community College placed #9 among the best values for institutional food workers. Carteret Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Morehead City. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,310, compared with $8,222 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $5,566 to complete the institutional food workers program here. Soon after graduation, institutional food workers degree recipients from Carteret Community College generally make around $48,953. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.

10
Ecpi University crest
Ecpi University
Virginia Beach, VA

Ecpi University came in at #10 for value in institutional food workers this year. Set in the city of Virginia Beach, Ecpi University is a large private for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $18,484. Students borrow a median of $18,043 to complete the institutional food workers program here. Early-career institutional food workers graduates make about $23,320. Set against $18,043 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 74% of applicants are accepted.

Other Institutional Food Workers Degree Levels

Explore the best-value institutional food workers schools at other degree levels:

All Degree Levels in Institutional Food Workers
Bachelor's Degrees in Institutional Food Workers
Master's Degrees in Institutional Food Workers
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View All Institutional Food Workers Rankings >

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Notes and References

This ranking is produced 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 · 28 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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