by our College Data Analytics Team
[Culinary Arts](/majors/personal-and-culinary-services/culinary-arts/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 10 schools to find the best return on investment for culinary arts students.
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If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the culinary arts degrees they offer, see the list below.
Salt Lake Community College tops our 2026 list of the best value culinary arts schools in Utah. 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, with out-of-state students paying around $14,244. Culinary Arts graduates carry a median of $10,855 in student loans. Early-career culinary arts graduates make about $31,788. Set against $10,855 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #2 makes Ogden Weber Technical College one of the best values for culinary arts. Set in the city of Ogden, Ogden Weber Technical College is a moderately-sized public institution. Typical student debt for culinary arts graduates is $8,833. Soon after graduation, culinary arts degree recipients from Ogden Weber Technical College generally make around $34,308. Set against $8,833 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Bridgerland Technical College came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value culinary arts schools. Bridgerland Technical College is a mid-sized public school located in the city of Logan. Typical student debt for culinary arts graduates is $12,000. Soon after graduation, culinary arts degree recipients from Bridgerland Technical College generally make around $28,884. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Utah Valley University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in culinary arts, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the city of Orem, Utah Valley University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,507, while out-of-state students pay about $18,489. Students borrow a median of $16,478 to complete the culinary arts program here. Soon after graduation, culinary arts degree recipients from Utah Valley University generally make around $27,056. Set against $16,478 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Davis Technical College came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value culinary arts schools. Davis Technical College is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Kaysville. Typical student debt for culinary arts graduates is $6,262. Culinary Arts graduates of Davis Technical College earn a median of $34,093 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
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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 · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.