2026 Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Schools in Kansas
[Personal & Culinary Services](/majors/personal-and-culinary-services/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 29 schools to find the best return on investment for personal & culinary services students.
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2026 Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Schools in Kansas
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the personal & culinary services degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Schools
Hutchinson Community College earned the #1 spot for value among personal & culinary services schools in Kansas. Set in the town of Hutchinson, Hutchinson Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $3,540 in tuition and fees, compared with $4,770 for out-of-state students. Personal & Culinary Services graduates carry a median of $18,148 in student loans. Personal & Culinary Services graduates of Hutchinson Community College earn a median of $17,437 early in their careers. Set against $18,148 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Fort Scott Community College earned it the #2 place for personal & culinary services. Fort Scott Community College is a small public school located in the town of Fort Scott. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,390, compared with $3,840 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $5,500 to complete the personal & culinary services program here. Soon after graduation, personal & culinary services degree recipients from Fort Scott Community College generally make around $20,691. That is a strong return on a $5,500 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Dodge City Community College earned it the #3 place for personal & culinary services. Located in the town of Dodge City, Dodge City Community College is a mid-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,650, with out-of-state students paying around $5,850. Ten years after enrolling, students earn a median of $45,427.
Garden City Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in personal & culinary services, landing the #4 spot this year. Garden City Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Garden City. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,690, with out-of-state students paying around $4,320. Typical student debt for personal & culinary services graduates is $5,500. Personal & Culinary Services graduates of Garden City Community College earn a median of $18,724 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $5,500 median debt.
Seward County Community College And Area Technical School is a great value for students pursuing a degree in personal & culinary services, landing the #5 spot this year. Seward County Community College And Area Technical School is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Liberal. In-state tuition and fees average $4,032, compared with $5,408 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for personal & culinary services graduates is $9,175. Early-career personal & culinary services graduates make about $53,375. That is a strong return on a $9,175 median debt.
Cowley County Community College landed the #6 spot for personal & culinary services value this year. Cowley County Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Arkansas City. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,800, while out-of-state students pay about $6,600. Students borrow a median of $9,312 to complete the personal & culinary services program here. Personal & Culinary Services graduates of Cowley County Community College earn a median of $34,099 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Northwest Kansas Technical College earned the #7 position for value in personal & culinary services this year. Northwest Kansas Technical College is a small public school located in the town of Goodland. Soon after graduation, personal & culinary services degree recipients from Northwest Kansas Technical College generally make around $41,638.
Washburn Institute Of Technology ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best value personal & culinary services schools. Washburn Institute Of Technology is a small public school located in the city of Topeka. Students from in state pay about $8,880 in tuition and fees. Personal & Culinary Services graduates carry a median of $9,000 in student loans. Personal & Culinary Services graduates of Washburn Institute Of Technology earn a median of $22,547 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $9,000 median debt.
Johnson County Community College ranked #9 on our 2026 list of the best value personal & culinary services schools. Located in the city of Overland Park, Johnson County Community College is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,424, with out-of-state students paying around $5,688. Students borrow a median of $5,424 to complete the personal & culinary services program here. Soon after graduation, personal & culinary services degree recipients from Johnson County Community College generally make around $29,720. Set against $5,424 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Mitsu Sato Hair Academy ranked #10 on our 2026 list of the best value personal & culinary services schools. Set in the city of Overland Park, Mitsu Sato Hair Academy is a small private for-profit institution. Students borrow a median of $9,500 to complete the personal & culinary services program here. Personal & Culinary Services graduates of Mitsu Sato Hair Academy earn a median of $17,143 early in their careers.
Eric Fisher Academy earned the #11 position for value in personal & culinary services this year. Set in the city of Wichita, Eric Fisher Academy is a small private for-profit institution. Personal & Culinary Services graduates carry a median of $9,339 in student loans. Soon after graduation, personal & culinary services degree recipients from Eric Fisher Academy generally make around $20,465. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Kansas City Kansas Community College landed the #12 spot for personal & culinary services value this year. Set in the city of Kansas City, Kansas City Kansas Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $2,996 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $6,482. Personal & Culinary Services graduates carry a median of $8,235 in student loans. Early-career personal & culinary services graduates make about $21,091. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Hays Academy Of Hair Design Salina landed the #13 spot for personal & culinary services value this year. Located in the town of Salina, Hays Academy Of Hair Design Salina is a small private for-profit university. Students borrow a median of $9,833 to complete the personal & culinary services program here. Personal & Culinary Services graduates of Hays Academy Of Hair Design Salina earn a median of $17,620 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Hays Academy Of Hair Design Hays landed the #14 spot for personal & culinary services value this year. Hays Academy Of Hair Design Hays is a small private for-profit school located in the town of Hays. Students borrow a median of $9,833 to complete the personal & culinary services program here. Soon after graduation, personal & culinary services degree recipients from Hays Academy Of Hair Design Hays generally make around $17,620. Set against $9,833 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Butler Community College came in at #15 for value in personal & culinary services this year. Butler Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of El Dorado. In-state tuition and fees average $3,541, with out-of-state students paying around $6,271. Personal & Culinary Services graduates carry a median of $16,670 in student loans. Personal & Culinary Services graduates of Butler Community College earn a median of $39,404 early in their careers. Set against $16,670 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Z Hair Academy came in at #16 for value in personal & culinary services this year. Z Hair Academy is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Overland Park. Students borrow a median of $15,333 to complete the personal & culinary services program here. Early-career personal & culinary services graduates make about $21,750. Set against $15,333 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 100% of applicants are accepted.
Old Town Barber College Wichita landed the #17 spot for personal & culinary services value this year. Old Town Barber College Wichita is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Wichita. Personal & Culinary Services graduates carry a median of $14,125 in student loans. Early-career personal & culinary services graduates make about $10,703. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Crave Beauty Academy came in at #18 for value in personal & culinary services this year. Crave Beauty Academy is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Wichita. Students borrow a median of $10,667 to complete the personal & culinary services program here. Early-career personal & culinary services graduates make about $21,067. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Paul Mitchell The School Wichita earned the #19 position for value in personal & culinary services this year. Located in the city of Wichita, Paul Mitchell The School Wichita is a small private for-profit university. Typical student debt for personal & culinary services graduates is $12,583. Personal & Culinary Services graduates of Paul Mitchell The School Wichita earn a median of $17,049 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Paul Mitchell The School Overland Park came in at #20 for value in personal & culinary services this year. Set in the city of Overland Park, Paul Mitchell The School Overland Park is a small private for-profit institution. Personal & Culinary Services graduates carry a median of $13,341 in student loans. Personal & Culinary Services graduates of Paul Mitchell The School Overland Park earn a median of $22,440 early in their careers.
Bellus Academy landed the #21 spot for personal & culinary services value this year. Located in the city of Manhattan, Bellus Academy is a small private for-profit university. Personal & Culinary Services graduates carry a median of $9,833 in student loans. Soon after graduation, personal & culinary services degree recipients from Bellus Academy generally make around $17,745. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 29 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
