2026 Best Value Restaurant, Culinary Catering Management/Manager Schools in the The Plains States Region
[Restaurant, Culinary Catering Management/Manager](/majors/personal-and-culinary-services/culinary-arts/restaurant-culinary-and-catering-management-manager/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 10 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for restaurant, culinary catering management/manager students.
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2026 Best Value Restaurant, Culinary Catering Management/Manager Schools in the The Plains States Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the restaurant, culinary catering management/manager degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Restaurant, Culinary Catering Management/Manager Schools
Metropolitan Community College Area earned the #1 spot for value among restaurant, culinary catering management/manager schools in the The Plains States Region. Metropolitan Community College Area is a very large public school located in the city of Omaha. In-state tuition and fees average $3,375, while out-of-state students pay about $4,950. Typical student debt for restaurant, culinary catering management/manager graduates is $12,799. Soon after graduation, restaurant, culinary catering management/manager degree recipients from Metropolitan Community College Area generally make around $45,583. Set against $12,799 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #2 makes Central Community College one of the best values for restaurant, culinary catering management/manager. Set in the city of Grand Island, Central Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,360, while out-of-state students pay about $4,800. Restaurant, Culinary Catering Management/manager graduates carry a median of $10,277 in student loans. Restaurant, Culinary Catering Management/manager graduates of Central Community College earn a median of $43,218 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $10,277 median debt.
A rank of #3 makes Ozarks Technical Community College one of the best values for restaurant, culinary catering management/manager. Ozarks Technical Community College is a large public school located in the city of Springfield. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,256, while out-of-state students pay about $7,040. Restaurant, Culinary Catering Management/manager graduates carry a median of $10,501 in student loans. Early-career restaurant, culinary catering management/manager graduates make about $25,879. Set against $10,501 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #4 makes Southeast Community College Area one of the best values for restaurant, culinary catering management/manager. Set in the city of Lincoln, Southeast Community College Area is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,444, while out-of-state students pay about $4,032. Students borrow a median of $19,146 to complete the restaurant, culinary catering management/manager program here. Early-career restaurant, culinary catering management/manager graduates make about $31,590. Set against $19,146 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #5 makes Johnson County Community College one of the best values for restaurant, culinary catering management/manager. Located in the city of Overland Park, Johnson County Community College is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $2,424, compared with $5,688 for out-of-state students. Restaurant, Culinary Catering Management/manager graduates carry a median of $13,532 in student loans. Restaurant, Culinary Catering Management/manager graduates of Johnson County Community College earn a median of $38,977 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $13,532 median debt.
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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 · 10 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.
