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Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois

2023 Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois

Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Pricing

36 Colleges
$10,427 Avg Tuition & Fees*

Finding the Best Personal & Culinary Services Basic Certificate School for You

Personal & Culinary Services is one of the most popular subjects to study in Illinois. With 4,725 degrees and certificates handed out in 2021-2022, it ranked 2nd out of all the majors we track in the state.

There are so many trade school programs in today's world that it can tough to figure out which one is the right one for you. You can choose a traditional brick and mortar school, or with the growth of online education, you can attend a school half-way across the country without even leaving your house.

Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Trade College Search has created the Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois to help you in your search for the best school for you. Our analysis looked at 36 schools in Illinois to see which basic certificate programs offered the best value experiences for personal & culinary services students with the aim of identifying those quality schools that are more affordable than some of their counterparts.

This ranking is not just a list of inexpensive schools. We also consider each school's quality, since we believe a low-quality school may not be a 'bargain' at any price. Specifically, our score for quality is discounted by the published tuition and fees charged by the given college. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The more quality your dollar buys, the better the value.

For nationwide and regional rankings, we use out-of-state tuition and fees in our calculations. For statewide rankings, we use average in-state tuition and fees.

2023 Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois

The following schools top our list of the Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Basic Certificate Colleges.

Top 25 Best Illinois Schools for Affordable Quality for an Award Taking Less Than 1 Year in Personal & Culinary Services

#1

Lake Land College

Mattoon, IL

Our 2023 rankings named Lake Land College the best value school in Illinois for personal & culinary services students working on their basic certificate. Lake Land College is a small public school located in the town of Mattoon.

Lake Land College undergraduate students pay an average of $8,104 in in-state tuition and fees each year.

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#2

Joliet Junior College

Joliet, IL

The excellent basic certificate programs at Joliet Junior College helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best value personal & culinary services schools in Illinois. Joliet Junior College is a fairly large public school located in the large suburb of Joliet.

The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at Joliet Junior College are $12,750 a year.

Read full report on Personal & Culinary Services at Joliet Junior College

The excellent basic certificate programs at City Colleges of Chicago - Kennedy-King College helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best value personal & culinary services schools in Illinois. Kennedy-King College is a small public school located in the city of Chicago.

Kennedy-King College undergraduate students pay an average of $11,520 in in-state tuition and fees each year.

Read full report on Personal & Culinary Services at City Colleges of Chicago - Kennedy-King College

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend City Colleges of Chicago - Harry S Truman College. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois list. Located in the city of Chicago, Harry S Truman College is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.

The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at Harry S Truman College are $11,520 a year.

Full Personal & Culinary Services at City Colleges of Chicago - Harry S Truman College Report

A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Debutantes School of Cosmetology and Nail Technology is a great value for personal & culinary services students working on their basic certificate. Located in the small suburb of Dekalb, Debutantes School of Cosmetology and Nail Technology is a private for-profit college with a small student population.

Full Personal & Culinary Services at Debutantes School of Cosmetology and Nail Technology Report

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Hair Professionals Career College. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois list. Located in the suburb of Sycamore, Hair Professionals Career College is a private for-profit school with a fairly small student population.

Read full report on Personal & Culinary Services at Hair Professionals Career College

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Chicago NE. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois list. Tricoci CNE is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Chicago.

Full Personal & Culinary Services at Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Chicago NE Report

The excellent basic certificate programs at Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Peoria helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best value personal & culinary services schools in Illinois. Located in the midsize city of Peoria, Tricoci PEO is a private for-profit school with a small student population.

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Out of the 36 schools in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, The University of Aesthetics & Cosmetology landed the # 5 spot on the list. Located in the large suburb of Downers Grove, The University of Aesthetics & Cosmetology is a private for-profit college with a fairly small student population.

Read full report on Personal & Culinary Services at The University of Aesthetics & Cosmetology

#5

G Skin & Beauty Institute

Schaumburg, IL

The excellent basic certificate programs at G Skin & Beauty Institute helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best value personal & culinary services schools in Illinois. Located in the city of Schaumburg, G Skin and Beauty Institute is a private for-profit college with a fairly small student population.

Full Personal & Culinary Services at G Skin & Beauty Institute Report

Out of the 36 schools in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Rockford landed the # 5 spot on the list. Located in the midsize city of Rockford, Tricoci RFD is a private for-profit college with a fairly small student population.

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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Paul Mitchell the School Lombard. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois list. Paul Mitchell the School Lombard is a small private for-profit school located in the suburb of Lombard.

Read full report on Personal & Culinary Services at Paul Mitchell the School Lombard

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Bridgeview. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois list. Located in the suburb of Bridgeview, Tricoci BRV is a private for-profit college with a fairly small student population.

Full Personal & Culinary Services at Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Bridgeview Report

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend University of Spa & Cosmetology Arts. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois list. Located in the city of Springfield, University of Spa & Cosmetology Arts is a private for-profit school with a fairly small student population.

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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Paul Mitchell the School Bradley. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois list. Paul Mitchell the School Bradley is a small private for-profit school located in the suburb of Tinley Park.

Read full report on Personal & Culinary Services at Paul Mitchell the School Bradley

#5

Capri Beauty College

New Lenox, IL

Out of the 36 schools in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, Capri Beauty College landed the # 5 spot on the list. Capri Beauty College is a small private for-profit school located in the large suburb of New Lenox.

Full Personal & Culinary Services at Capri Beauty College Report

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Educators of Beauty College of Cosmetology-Sterling. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois list. Educators of Beauty College of Cosmetology-Sterling is a small private for-profit school located in the distant town of Sterling.

Read full report on Personal & Culinary Services at Educators of Beauty College of Cosmetology-Sterling

The excellent basic certificate programs at Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Libertyville helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best value personal & culinary services schools in Illinois. Located in the large suburb of Libertyville, Tricoci LBV is a private for-profit college with a fairly small student population.

Read More…

#5

Cosmetology & Spa Academy

Crystal Lake, IL

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Cosmetology & Spa Academy. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois list. Cosmetology & Spa Academy is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the large suburb of Crystal Lake.

Full Personal & Culinary Services at Cosmetology & Spa Academy Report

A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Empire Beauty School-Stone Park is a great value for personal & culinary services students working on their basic certificate. Empire Beauty School-Stone Park is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the large suburb of Stone Park.

Read full report on Personal & Culinary Services at Empire Beauty School-Stone Park

The excellent basic certificate programs at Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Danville helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best value personal & culinary services schools in Illinois. Tricoci Danville is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the city of Urbana.

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A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Innovations Design Academy is a great value for personal & culinary services students working on their basic certificate. Innovations Design Academy is a small private for-profit school located in the distant town of Canton.

Read full report on Personal & Culinary Services at Innovations Design Academy

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Hair Professionals School of Cosmetology. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois list. Located in the large suburb of Oswego, Hair Professionals School of Cosmetology is a private for-profit school with a fairly small student population.

Full Personal & Culinary Services at Hair Professionals School of Cosmetology Report

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Chicago NW. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois list. Tricoci CNW is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the city of Chicago.

Full Personal & Culinary Services at Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Chicago NW Report

#5

Trenz Beauty Academy

Calumet City, IL

Out of the 36 schools in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, Trenz Beauty Academy landed the # 5 spot on the list. Trenz Beauty Academy is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the large suburb of Calumet City.

Read full report on Personal & Culinary Services at Trenz Beauty Academy

Honorable Mentions

These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois award.

Rank College Location

Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Colleges in the Great Lakes Region

Explore all the Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Schools in the Great Lakes Area or other specific states within that region.

State Degrees Awarded
Indiana 2,161
Michigan 3,211
Wisconsin 1,669
Ohio 3,799

Personal & Culinary Services Majors to Study

Major Annual Graduates
Cosmetology 124,611
Culinary Arts 22,075
Funeral & Mortuary Science 2,186
Casino Operations and Services 385
Other Personal & Culinary Services 95

Related Major Annual Graduates
Mechanic & Repair Technologies 105,741
Precision Production 55,411
Construction Trades 40,802
Transportation & Materials Moving 33,306

Notes and References

*These averages are for the top 36 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 the rest 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).
  • Credit for the banner image above goes to U.S. Army Europe Images.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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