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2026 Most Popular Culinary Arts Schools
There are 627 colleges that offer a degree in Culinary Arts. Ranked by yearly graduations, here are the most popular below:
Finding the Best Culinary Arts School for You
There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which Culinary Arts program is right for you. You can choose a traditional brick-and-mortar school, or with the growth of online education, you can attend a school halfway across the country without even leaving your house.
To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Trade College Search has created its Most Popular Culinary Arts Schools ranking. This report analyzed 627 schools in the United States to see which Culinary Arts programs were the most popular. To create this ranking we looked at how many students graduated from each school’s program.
2026 Most Popular Culinary Arts Schools in the United States
The colleges and universities below are the most popular for Culinary Arts majors.
Top 25 Most Popular Culinary Arts Schools
The most popular school in the United States for Culinary Arts students is Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder. Located in Boulder, CO, this is a private for-profit institution. During the most recent year for which we have data, 3,456 people earned their degree in Culinary Arts from this school. Graduates of this program go on to a median salary of $26,209. Full Culinary Arts at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder Report
NUC University landed the #2 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Culinary Arts Schools ranking. Located in Bayamon, PR, this is a private for-profit institution. This school awarded 1,307 degrees in Culinary Arts in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $18,183. Full Culinary Arts at NUC University Report
Culinary Institute of America comes in at #3 on our 2026 list of the most popular colleges for Culinary Arts majors. Culinary Institute of America is a private nonprofit school located in Hyde Park, NY. During the most recent year for which we have data, 756 people earned their degree in Culinary Arts from this school. Graduates of this program go on to a median salary of $30,591. Full Culinary Arts at Culinary Institute of America Report
Institute of Culinary Education landed the #4 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Culinary Arts Schools ranking. Located in New York, NY, this is a private for-profit institution. This school awarded 582 degrees in Culinary Arts in the most recent reporting year. Graduates of this program go on to a median salary of $23,169. Read full report on Culinary Arts at Institute of Culinary Education
Valencia College comes in at #5 on our 2026 list of the most popular colleges for Culinary Arts majors. Located in Orlando, FL, this is a public institution. This school awarded 397 degrees in Culinary Arts in the most recent reporting year. Graduates of this program go on to a median salary of $30,627. Read full report on Culinary Arts at Valencia College
Johnson & Wales University-Providence landed the #6 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Culinary Arts Schools ranking. Located in Providence, RI, this is a private nonprofit institution. This school awarded 395 degrees in Culinary Arts in the most recent reporting year. Graduates of this program go on to a median salary of $33,862. Read full report on Culinary Arts at Johnson & Wales University-Providence
Central Piedmont Community College comes in at #7 on our 2026 list of the most popular colleges for Culinary Arts majors. Located in Charlotte, NC, this is a public institution. During the most recent year for which we have data, 317 people earned their degree in Culinary Arts from this school. Graduates of this program go on to a median salary of $37,962. Read full report on Culinary Arts at Central Piedmont Community College
Institute of Culinary Education landed the #8 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Culinary Arts Schools ranking. Institute of Culinary Education is a private for-profit school located in Pasadena, CA. During the most recent year for which we have data, 310 people earned their degree in Culinary Arts from this school. Graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $23,169. Read More…
Ivy Tech Community College landed the #9 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Culinary Arts Schools ranking. Ivy Tech Community College is a public school located in Indianapolis, IN. During the most recent year for which we have data, 273 people earned their degree in Culinary Arts from this school. Graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $46,027. Full Culinary Arts at Ivy Tech Community College Report
Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Austin comes in at #10 on our 2026 list of the most popular colleges for Culinary Arts majors. Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Austin is a private for-profit school located in Austin, TX. During the most recent year for which we have data, 212 people earned their degree in Culinary Arts from this school. Graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $26,265. Read full report on Culinary Arts at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Austin
Escuela Hotelera de San Juan landed the #11 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Culinary Arts Schools ranking. Escuela Hotelera de San Juan is a private for-profit school located in Hato Rey, PR. During the most recent year for which we have data, 206 people earned their degree in Culinary Arts from this school. Graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $10,108. Read More…
St Philip's College landed the #12 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Culinary Arts Schools ranking. St Philip's College is a public school located in San Antonio, TX. This school awarded 187 degrees in Culinary Arts in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $42,695. Read More…
Lake Land College landed the #13 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Culinary Arts Schools ranking. Located in Mattoon, IL, this is a public institution. This school awarded 178 degrees in Culinary Arts in the most recent reporting year. Graduates of this program go on to a median salary of $31,436. Full Culinary Arts at Lake Land College Report
Trident Technical College landed the #14 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Culinary Arts Schools ranking. Located in Charleston, SC, this is a public institution. This school awarded 171 degrees in Culinary Arts in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $43,348. Read More…
Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte comes in at #15 on our 2026 list of the most popular colleges for Culinary Arts majors. Located in Charlotte, NC, this is a private nonprofit institution. This school awarded 166 degrees in Culinary Arts in the most recent reporting year. Graduates of this program go on to a median salary of $33,862. Full Culinary Arts at Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte Report
Culinary Institute Inc comes in at #16 on our 2026 list of the most popular colleges for Culinary Arts majors. Located in Houston, TX, this is a private for-profit institution. During the most recent year for which we have data, 162 people earned their degree in Culinary Arts from this school. Graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $26,237. Full Culinary Arts at Culinary Institute Inc Report
Dallas College landed the #17 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Culinary Arts Schools ranking. Located in Dallas, TX, this is a public institution. During the most recent year for which we have data, 161 people earned their degree in Culinary Arts from this school. Graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $38,587. Full Culinary Arts at Dallas College Report
Los Angeles Mission College landed the #18 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Culinary Arts Schools ranking. Los Angeles Mission College is a public school located in Sylmar, CA. This school awarded 157 degrees in Culinary Arts in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $34,770. Full Culinary Arts at Los Angeles Mission College Report
Miami Dade College landed the #19 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Culinary Arts Schools ranking. Miami Dade College is a public school located in Miami, FL. This school awarded 149 degrees in Culinary Arts in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $36,815. Read full report on Culinary Arts at Miami Dade College
Los Angeles Trade Technical College landed the #20 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Culinary Arts Schools ranking. Located in Los Angeles, CA, this is a public institution. During the most recent year for which we have data, 145 people earned their degree in Culinary Arts from this school. Graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $32,209. Full Culinary Arts at Los Angeles Trade Technical College Report
Francis Tuttle Technology Center comes in at #21 on our 2026 list of the most popular colleges for Culinary Arts majors. Located in Oklahoma City, OK, this is a public institution. During the most recent year for which we have data, 140 people earned their degree in Culinary Arts from this school. Graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $26,535. Read More…
ECPI University comes in at #22 on our 2026 list of the most popular colleges for Culinary Arts majors. Located in Virginia Beach, VA, this is a private for-profit institution. This school awarded 136 degrees in Culinary Arts in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $45,216. Read full report on Culinary Arts at ECPI University
Nunez Community College landed the #23 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Culinary Arts Schools ranking. Located in Chalmette, LA, this is a public institution. This school awarded 134 degrees in Culinary Arts in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $33,519. Full Culinary Arts at Nunez Community College Report
Arizona Culinary Institute landed the #24 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Culinary Arts Schools ranking. Arizona Culinary Institute is a private for-profit school located in Scottsdale, AZ. This school awarded 127 degrees in Culinary Arts in the most recent reporting year. Graduates of this program go on to a median salary of $29,764. Read full report on Culinary Arts at Arizona Culinary Institute
Central Georgia Technical College landed the #25 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Culinary Arts Schools ranking. Located in Warner Robins, GA, this is a public institution. This school awarded 118 degrees in Culinary Arts in the most recent reporting year. Graduates of this program go on to a median salary of $36,207. Full Culinary Arts at Central Georgia Technical College Report
Rest of the Top Most Popular Culinary Arts Schools
Additional Noteworthy Schools
Here are some additional great schools for this major that just missed the list above.
Culinary Arts by Region
View the Most Popular Culinary Arts Schools ranking for a specific region near you.
| Region |
|---|
| New England |
| Middle Atlantic |
| Great Lakes |
| Plains States |
| Southeast |
| Southwest |
| Rocky Mountains |
| Far Western US |
More Culinary Arts Rankings
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the Most Popular Culinary Arts Schools ranking, along with other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
Majors Related to Culinary Arts
Culinary Arts Concentrations
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Chef Training | 11,194 |
| Baking & Pastry Arts | 5,539 |
| General Cooking & Culinary Arts | 4,165 |
| Restaurant & Catering Management | 1,343 |
| Food Preparation/Kitchen Assistant | 1,052 |
| Other Culinary Arts | 333 |
| Culinary Science/Culinology | 301 |
| Bartending | 237 |
| Institutional Food Workers | 181 |
| Food Service & Dining Management | 75 |
| Meat Cutting | 60 |
| Wine Steward/Sommelier | 7 |
Most Popular Related Majors
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Cosmetology | 136,936 |
| Funeral & Mortuary Science | 2,676 |
| Casino Operations and Services | 564 |
| Other Personal & Culinary Services | 101 |
References
*The average salary above is for the top 25 schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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