Top 12 Culinary Schools in the US

You love cooking food, which is why there are some culinary schools on your college list — you feel that earning a degree from one of them is the key to you working as a professional in a commercial kitchen.

To enter the culinary world, going to college is optional.

But it’s a great idea to consider earning a degree in culinary arts or culinary science if you want to enjoy increased marketability and earning potential.

Besides, in the United States, more than 50% of all employers prefer candidates who go to culinary schools.

Looking to become a highly respected and highly-paid chef someday?

Read on!

This article is all about culinary schools.

But not just any culinary schools — 10 of the best ones and 2 runner-ups.

Culinary School	Acceptance Rate	Graduation Rate
Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts	100%	72%
Johnson & Wales University	85%	59%
The Culinary Institute of America	98%	70%
Culinary Institute LeNotre	100%	74%
Institute of Culinary Education	100%	87%
Sullivan University	100%	42%
Kendall College	98%	33%
Paul Smith’s College	70%	48%
Drexel University	75%	69%
Louisiana Culinary Institute	50%	57%
New England Culinary Institute	100%	65%
ECPI University	74%	48%

See which of the following institutions you can see yourself attending:

1. Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts

• Location: Austin, Texas and Boulder, Colorado
• Estimated cost of attendance: $30,260
• Acceptance rate: 100%
• Graduation rate: 72%
• Popular majors: Culinary Arts and Food Service, Baking and Pastry Arts

If you are willing to invest in a high-ranking culinary school, then consider adding Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts to your college list. It’s #1 in 13 Best Culinary Schools in the World by Chef’s Pencil and #4 in Best Colleges for Culinary Arts in America by Niche.  

And by the way, the school itself says that it has pioneered online culinary education — yes, through this institution, you can earn a degree in culinary arts in your home kitchen.

Thinking about specializing in whipping up delicious, nutritious and sustainable plant-based dishes?

Then you will be more than happy to know that Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts also offers plant-based culinary art programs, which come in the form of an associate degree and a diploma program.

2. Johnson & Wales University

• Location: Providence, Rhode Island
• Estimated cost of attendance: $26,775
• Acceptance rate: 85%
• Graduation rate: 59%
• Popular majors: Culinary Arts and Food Service, Baking and Pastry Arts, Restaurant and Food Services Management

There are a few things about Johnson & Wales University that make it one of the most well-known culinary arts schools in the country.

For one, it’s a full-fledged institution with clubs, organizations, fraternities, athletics and social activities that allow attendees to become well-rounded students.

Its College of Culinary Arts was established in the 1970s, and since then it has produced graduates from more than 70 countries around the world.

As a matter of fact, some of its alumni members, according to the institution itself, established award-winning restaurants, such as Manresa, Greenleaf Milford and Vespertine.

Johnson & Wales University offers an impressive variety of programs associated with the food and hospitality industries. Options available for aspirants to choose from include:

• Master of Science in Food Innovation & Technology
• Master of Science in Food Safety
• Bachelor of Science in Baking and Pastry Arts
• Bachelor of Science in Culinary Arts
• Bachelor of Science in Culinary Science and Product Development
• Bachelor of Science in Dietetics and Applied Nutrition
• Bachelor of Science in Food and Beverage Entrepreneurship
• Bachelor of Science in Food and Beverage Industry Management
• Bachelor of Science in Food Innovation and Technology
• Bachelor of Science in Restaurant, Food and Beverage Management
• Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Food Systems
• Associate of Science in Baking and Pastry Arts
• Associate of Science in Culinary Arts

By the way, besides its main campus in Providence, Rhode Island, Johnson & Wales University also has branches in the following cities:

• North Miami, Florida
• Denver, Colorado
• Charlotte, North Carolina

3. The Culinary Institute of America

• Location: Hyde Park, New York
• Estimated cost of attendance: $38,540
• Acceptance rate: 98%
• Graduation rate: 70%
• Popular majors: Culinary Arts and Food Service, Baking and Pastry Arts, Restaurant and Food Services Management

For many years, the Culinary Institute of America (est. 1946), together with Johnson & Wales University, which we just talked about, was where people who wanted to become excellent chefs went for their training.

While there are now many different culinary schools in existence in the US, including the crème de la crème, such as the ones in this article, the Culinary Institute of America is still one of the very best in the land.

And it’s one of the nicest looking culinary arts schools, too — its 170-acre campus is set against the stunning Hudson River.

Besides its main campus in Hyde Park, New York, the Culinary Institute of America also has branches in California, Texas and even in Singapore.

And by the way, it also offers online bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

4. Culinary Institute LeNotre

• Location: Houston, Texas
• Estimated cost of attendance: $32,564
• Acceptance rate: 100%
• Graduation rate: 74%
• Popular majors: Culinary Arts and Food Service, Baking and Pastry Arts

The founders of Culinary Institute LeNotre are third-generation French chefs Alain and Marie LeNotre.

It’s exactly because of this why the culinary arts institution is primarily known for its pastry classes.

However, it also offers degrees in general culinary arts — to date, there are seven programs.

Aspirants can choose from four diploma programs, which have electives such as Healthy Cuisine, Hotel, Management and Sommelier.

Meanwhile, there are three associate’s degrees the school offers:

• Culinary Arts
• Baking and Pastry
• Hospitality and Restaurant Management

To help some of those who wish to become culinary experts in no time, Culinary Institute LeNotre offers certificates that take only 10 weeks to complete. They include:

• Fundamentals of French Cuisine
• French Baking and Pastry
• Sommelier

5. Institute of Culinary Education

• Location: Manhattan, New York
• Estimated cost of attendance: $38,169
• Acceptance rate: 100%
• Graduation rate: 87%
• Popular majors: Culinary Arts and Food Service, Baking and Pastry Arts, Restaurant and Food Services Management

The Institute of Culinary Education offers an assortment of degree programs that can be completed anywhere from as quick as six months to as long as 13 months.

This means that you can opt for a program that goes well with your needs and preferences in getting your dream of becoming a professional chef started.

Available training programs include:

• Culinary Arts
• Pastry and Baking Arts
• Health-Supportive Culinary Arts
• Restaurant and Culinary Management
• Hospitality and Hotel Management

There are also professional certificate programs such as the Art of Cake Decorating and Artisan Bread Baking.

One of the nicest things about the Institute of Culinary Education is that, since it was established back in 1975, it has now more than 14,000 graduates.

This is synonymous with a wide and strong alumni network, which will come in very handy after graduation and when it’s time to find a job in the food and hospitality industries.

In 2018, the Los Angeles campus of the Institute of Culinary Education opened. It also offers the same six- to 13-month programs as the main campus in New York.

6. Sullivan University

• Location: Louisville, Kentucky
• Estimated cost of attendance: $29,004
• Acceptance rate: 100%
• Graduation rate: 42%
• Popular majors: Culinary Arts and Food Service, Baking and Pastry Arts

A private, for-profit institution, Sullivan University is known for majors such as Business, Information Technology and Nursing.

It’s also known for Culinary Arts and Food Service as well as Baking and Pastry Arts because it has the Sullivan University National Center for Hospitality Studies.

What’s great about Sullivan University is that it offers an assortment of culinary arts programs. They include three certificate programs and two diploma programs. There are also a total of four associate degree programs:

• Associate of Science in Baking and Pastry Arts
• Associate of Science in Culinary Arts
• Associate of Science in Event Management and Tourism
• Associate of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management

The school offers a bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management, too.

Failure to find a job in the food and hospitality industries should be the least of your worries after graduating from Sullivan University.

That’s because it has a career services office that helps current attendees and graduates with their career placement and advancement needs through advising and networking.

7. Kendall College

• Location: Chicago, Illinois
• Estimated cost of attendance: $35,744
• Acceptance rate: 98%
• Graduation rate: 33%
• Popular majors: Culinary Arts and Food Service, Baking and Pastry Arts

Love to travel?

Then consider attending Kendall College for your culinary arts degree.

That’s because it has a partnership with the internationally acclaimed Les Roches International School of Hotel Management.

The institutions offer joint degree programs and expanded international internship opportunities for their students.

And to help you explore the world so much better, Kendall College offers a four-year Bachelor of Arts in Culinary Arts, which not a lot of culinary schools in the US offer, that includes an in-depth examination of international cuisine.

They include Mediterranean, Asian, and Latin and South American. And it has nutrition-related courses, too.

According to Kendall College itself, around 93% of graduates report employment in their field of study within six months.

It’s partly due to internship programs and career placement and advancement services.

8. Paul Smith’s College

• Location: Paul Smith, New York
• Estimated cost of attendance: $31,080
• Acceptance rate: 70%
• Graduation rate: 48%
• Popular majors: Culinary Arts and Food Service, Baking and Pastry Arts

Paul Smith’s College is #7 in Top 10 Best Culinary Schools in New York by Best Choice Schools and #9 in Best Colleges for Culinary Arts in America by Niche.

Needless to say, the Paul Smith, New York-based private institution is suitable for those who dream of learning about culinary arts at a highly ranked school.

One of the things that Paul Smith’s College is known for is that it regards experiential learning above everything else, which is reinforced by a semester-long series of hotel, culinary, and food service work experiences.

On-campus experience is enriched, too, by facilities that include six commercial-quality food laboratories as well as a baking laboratory fully equipped with commercial baking equipment.

And for students who wish to become food service and beverage managers one day, Paul Smith’s College offers the Sustainable Restaurant Management program.

9. Drexel University

• Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Estimated cost of attendance: $54,766
• Acceptance rate: 75%
• Graduation rate: 69%
• Popular majors: Culinary Arts and Food Service, Restaurant and Food Services Management

Drexel University is popular among students who like to major in the likes of Nursing, Accounting, Engineering and Computer Science.

And since it has the Department of Culinary Arts and Food Science, the private research university is also the go-to school for those who wish to enter the realm of food and hospitality.

The school offers bachelor’s degrees in Culinary Arts and Science as well as Hospitality Management, which means that it will take a little more time to complete than certificates and associate’s degrees from other culinary schools.

But you may also choose to minor in Culinary Arts while completing any other undergraduate degree of your preference, which includes required courses such as Culinary Fundamentals, Commercial Food Production, and Techniques and Traditions.

Drexel University offers a graduate degree in Food Science, by the way.

10. Louisiana Culinary Institute

• Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
• Estimated cost of attendance: $26,565
• Acceptance rate: 50%
• Graduation rate: 57%
• Popular majors: Culinary Arts and Food Service

Unlike the most other culinary arts schools we have talked about this far, Louisiana Culinary Institute is a moderately selective institution, accepting only half of all applicants.

Louisiana Culinary Institute offers three occupational studies degrees. They are:

• Advanced CulinaryArts. Like an undergraduate degree, this particular AOS in Culinary Arts has general education courses. Students who do not have transfer credits will have classes for 23 hours per week. The degree consists of a total of four semesters.

• Advanced Baking and Pastry. This two-year-long degree program equips students with the knowledge, skills and techniques they need in order to become excellent baking and pastry chefs. Every week, students will have to spend anywhere from 20 to 23 hours studying.

• Hospitality and Culinary Management. If the goal is to land a managerial position in the hospitality industry, there’s the AOS in Hospitality and Culinary Management program available from Louisiana Culinary Institute, which takes two years to complete.

Want to acquire the necessary culinary or managerial knowledge base and skillset from the best and willing to spend around $26,000 per academic year?

Then you will be more than glad to know that Louisiana Culinary Institute is #1 in Best Colleges for Culinary Arts in America by Niche.

11. New England Culinary Institute

• Location: Montpelier, Vermont
• Estimated cost of attendance: $40,221
• Acceptance rate: 100%
• Graduation rate: 65%
• Popular majors: Culinary Arts and Food Service, Baking and Pastry Arts, Restaurant and Food Services Management

Established in 1980, the New England Culinary Institute takes pride in its small classes, personal attention and getting its graduates hired at some of the most celebrated restaurants in the US and the world, too.

As a matter of fact, some of the school’s most popular alumni members include:

• Alton Brown
• Amanda Chantal Bacon
• Gavin Kaysen
• Paul Hogan

Besides its main campus, it also has a branch in Essex, Vermont.

What’s so great about the New England Culinary Institute is that it offers a wide variety of degree programs as well as diplomas and certificates, thus allowing you to customize your educational needs.

They are the following:

• Bachelor of Arts in Culinary Arts
• Bachelor of Arts in Baking and Pastry
• Bachelor of Arts in Food and Beverage Business Management
• Associate of Occupational Studies in Culinary Arts
• Associate of Occupational Studies in Baking and Pastry
• Associate of Occupational Studies in Food and Beverage Business Management
• Certificate in Professional Cooking
• Certificate in Professional Baking and Pastry

12. East Coast Polytechnic Institute (ECPI) University

• Location: Virginia Beach, Virginia
• Estimated cost of attendance: $29,515
• Acceptance rate: 74%
• Graduation rate: 48%
• Popular majors: Culinary Arts and Food Service

ECPI University is known for majors such as Licensed Practical Nursing, Registered Nursing and Medical Assistant. So, basically, a lot of those who wish to venture into the healthcare industry apply to it.

You may also include ECPI on your college list if you want to be a chef.

That’s because it has the Culinary Institute of Virginia department, which is why ECPI University is #1 in Top 10 Best Culinary Schools in Virginia by Best Choice Schools and #5 in Best Colleges for Culinary Arts in America by Niche.

Here are the available programs at ECPI:

• Bachelor of Science in Food Service Management
• Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts
• Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts and Applied Nutrition
• Diploma in Baking and Pastry Arts

According to the culinary school itself, some of the top employers of their graduates include Aramark, Disney, Westminster Canterbury, Kingsmill Resort and NASA.

Best Culinary Schools in America

Culinary Institute of America and Johnson & Wales University are universally considered to be the top culinary schools in America.

Also, Niche ranks Louisiana Culinary Institute, Culinary Institute LeNotre, and Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts as schools worth attending.

Is Culinary School Worth It

To become a chef, going to culinary school isn’t a requirement.

However, it can help in terms of job marketability and earning potential, too.

Over 50% of employers prefer chefs with a degree. Formally trained chefs also tend to earn 15% more in the culinary arts and 29% more in the pastry arts.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary of chefs is $53,380 — that’s $90,790 for top earners (90th percentile).

Applying to a culinary school is just one of the initial steps that you may take in order to start getting paid for coming up with culinary creations that please the taste buds.