2026 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools in Mississippi
[Culinary Arts](/majors/personal-and-culinary-services/culinary-arts/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 13 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value culinary arts schools.
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2026 Best Value Culinary Arts Schools in Mississippi
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the culinary arts degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Culinary Arts Schools
Leading the list is Coahoma Community College, our #1 best value for culinary arts in Mississippi. Coahoma Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the rural area of Clarksdale. Students from in state pay about $3,490 in tuition and fees. Culinary Arts graduates carry a median of $11,745 in student loans. Culinary Arts graduates of Coahoma Community College earn a median of $29,600 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Hinds Community College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value culinary arts schools. Set in the rural area of Raymond, Hinds Community College is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,250, compared with $7,300 for out-of-state students. Culinary Arts graduates carry a median of $12,169 in student loans. Soon after graduation, culinary arts degree recipients from Hinds Community College generally make around $34,003. Set against $12,169 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #3 makes Meridian Community College one of the best values for culinary arts. Located in the town of Meridian, Meridian Community College is a mid-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,078, with out-of-state students paying around $6,478. Typical student debt for culinary arts graduates is $10,368. Soon after graduation, culinary arts degree recipients from Meridian Community College generally make around $34,846. That is a strong return on a $10,368 median debt.
A rank of #4 makes Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College one of the best values for culinary arts. Located in the rural area of Perkinston, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $4,250, compared with $7,850 for out-of-state students. Culinary Arts graduates carry a median of $11,653 in student loans. Culinary Arts graduates of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College earn a median of $34,214 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $11,653 median debt.
A rank of #5 makes Jones County Junior College one of the best values for culinary arts. Set in the town of Ellisville, Jones County Junior College is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,700, while out-of-state students pay about $5,700. Students borrow a median of $9,559 to complete the culinary arts program here. Soon after graduation, culinary arts degree recipients from Jones County Junior College generally make around $33,655. That is a strong return on a $9,559 median debt.
More Culinary Arts 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 · 13 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
