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Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region

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2023 Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region

Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Pricing

123 Colleges
$14,104 Avg Tuition & Fees*
$17,234 Avg Salary

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

With 149,352 degrees and certificates handed out in 2021-2022, personal & culinary services is the #2 most popular major in the United States.

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're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent.

The Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking is one of many tools that Trade College Search has developed to help you make your educational decision. Our analysis looked at 123 schools in the Middle Atlantic Region to see which undergraduate 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 Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region

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

Top 15% Best Personal & Culinary Services Undergraduate Certificate Schools

#1

Laurel Business Institute

Uniontown, PA

Our 2023 rankings named Laurel Business Institute the best value school in the Middle Atlantic Region for personal & culinary services students working on their undergraduate certificate. Located in the suburb of Uniontown, LBI is a private for-profit school with a small student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at LBI are $11,470 per year.

In addition to its great value ranking, LBI is in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Personal & Culinary Services Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region list.

Read full report on Personal & Culinary Services at Laurel Business Institute

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Brookdale Community College. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region list. Brookdale Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the rural area of Lincroft.

Brookdale Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $9,698 in tuition and fees each year.

Read full report on Personal & Culinary Services at Brookdale Community College

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Indiana University of Pennsylvania - Main Campus. The school came in at #3 on this year’s Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region list. IUP is a moderately-sized public school located in the distant town of Indiana.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at IUP are $18,927 a year.

In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, IUP is ranked #1 for overall quality for personal & culinary services in the Middle Atlantic Region .

Full Personal & Culinary Services at Indiana University of Pennsylvania - Main Campus Report

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Penn Commercial Business/Technical School. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region list. Located in the suburb of Washington, Penn Commercial is a private for-profit school with a fairly small student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Penn Commercial are $12,116 a year.

Read More…

#5

Laurel Technical Institute

MEADVILLE, PA

A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Laurel Technical Institute is a great value for personal & culinary services students working on their undergraduate certificate. LTI - Meadville is a small private for-profit school located in the rural area of MEADVILLE.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at LTI - Meadville are $11,470 per year.

Full Personal & Culinary Services at Laurel Technical Institute Report

With a ranking of #6, Atlantic Cape Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for personal & culinary services students working on their undergraduate certificate. Located in the rural area of Mays Landing, Atlantic Cape Community College is a public school with a small student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Atlantic Cape Community College are $8,340 a year.

Full Personal & Culinary Services at Atlantic Cape Community College Report

Suffolk County Community College landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value undergraduate certificate personal & culinary services programs. Located in the suburb of Selden, Suffolk County Community College is a public college with a fairly large student population.

Suffolk County Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $11,740 in tuition and fees each year.

Full Personal & Culinary Services at Suffolk County Community College Report

#8

Laurel Technical Institute

Hermitage, PA

Laurel Technical Institute came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking. LTI Sharon is a small private for-profit school located in the rural area of Hermitage.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at LTI Sharon are $11,470 per year.

Read More…

#9

Jna Institute of Culinary Arts

Philadelphia, PA

Jna Institute of Culinary Arts did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for personal & culinary services students to get a undergraduate certificate. It came in at #9 on the list. Located in the large city of Philadelphia, Jna Institute of Culinary Arts is a private for-profit school with a fairly small student population.

Jna Institute of Culinary Arts undergraduate students pay an average of $14,575 in tuition and fees each year.

Read More…

Delaware Technical Community College - Terry came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking. Delaware Tech is a fairly large public school located in the city of Dover.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Delaware Tech are $11,808 per year.

Delaware Tech excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 5% of all schools on our Best Personal & Culinary Services Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region list.

Read full report on Personal & Culinary Services at Delaware Technical Community College - Terry

SUNY Schenectady County Community College landed the #11 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value undergraduate certificate personal & culinary services programs. SUNY Schenectady is a small public school located in the small city of Schenectady.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at SUNY Schenectady are $10,768 per year.

Read full report on Personal & Culinary Services at SUNY Schenectady County Community College

With a ranking of #12, Culinary Institute of America did quite well on this year’s best value schools for personal & culinary services students working on their undergraduate certificate. The Culinary Institute of America is a small private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of Hyde Park.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at The Culinary Institute of America are $36,620 per year.

Read More…

Pittsburgh Technical College came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking. Pittsburgh Technical College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Oakdale.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Pittsburgh Technical College are $16,974 a year.

Read More…

Montgomery County Community College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking. Located in the large suburb of Blue Bell, Montco is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Montco are $15,390 per year.

Read More…

Niagara County Community College came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking. Located in the rural area of Sanborn, Niagara County Community College is a public college with a small student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Niagara County Community College are $11,205 a year.

Read full report on Personal & Culinary Services at Niagara County Community College

#16

Douglas Education Center

Monessen, PA

With a ranking of #16, Douglas Education Center did quite well on this year’s best value schools for personal & culinary services students working on their undergraduate certificate. Douglas Education Center is a small private for-profit school located in the suburb of Monessen.

Douglas Education Center undergraduate students pay an average of $18,350 in tuition and fees each year.

Full Personal & Culinary Services at Douglas Education Center Report

With a ranking of #17, Hudson County Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for personal & culinary services students working on their undergraduate certificate. Located in the large city of Jersey City, HCCC is a public school with a medium-sized student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at HCCC are $11,798 a year.

Read More…

#18

Erie Community College

Buffalo, NY

Erie Community College ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region list. Located in the city of Buffalo, Erie Community College is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Erie Community College are $11,150 per year.

Read full report on Personal & Culinary Services at Erie Community College

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 Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region award.

Rank College Location
19 Butler Beauty Academy Butler, PA
19 Robert Fiance Beauty Schools-West New York West New York, NJ
19 The Temple - A Paul Mitchell Partner School Frederick, MD
19 Empire Beauty School-Lehigh Valley Whitehall, PA
19 Continental School of Beauty Culture, Rochester Rochester, NY
19 Empire Beauty School-Queens Astoria, NY
19 YTI Career Institute-York York, PA
19 Empire Beauty School-Center City Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA
19 Fountain of Youth Academy of Cosmetology Bellevue, PA
19 Onondaga Cortland Madison BOCES Liverpool, NY
19 Great Lakes Institute of Technology Erie, PA
19 Robert Fiance Beauty Schools-North Plainfield North Plainfield, NJ
19 Aveda Institute - Maryland Bel Air, MD
19 Capri Institute of Hair Design, Paramus Paramus, NJ
19 The Salon Professional Academy - Tonawanda Tonawanda, NY
19 New York Institute of Beauty Islandia, NY
19 Empire Beauty School-Buffalo Cheektowaga, NY
19 Capri Cosmetology Learning Centers Nanuet, NY
19 Empire Beauty School-Harrisburg Harrisburg, PA
19 Schuyler Steuben Chemung Tioga Allegany BOCES Elmira, NY
19 Academy of Cosmetology and Esthetics NYC Staten Island, NY
19 Empire Beauty School-Glen Burnie Glen Burnie, MD
19 Butler Beauty Academy - Kittanning Beauty Academy Kittanning, PA
19 Midway Paris Beauty School Ridgewood, NY
19 Brittany Beauty Academy Brooklyn, NY
19 Butler Beauty Academy - New Castle Beauty Academy New Castle, PA
19 Continental School of Beauty Culture, West Seneca West Seneca, NY
19 Continental School of Beauty Culture, Mattydale Mattydale, NY
19 Brittany Beauty Academy Bronx, NY
19 Empire Beauty School-Hanover Hanover, PA
19 Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science Inc Pittsburgh, PA
19 The Beauty Institute Whitehall, PA
19 The Salon Professional Academy - Washington DC Washington, DC
19 Award Beauty School Hagerstown, MD
19 Paul Mitchell the School Schenectady Schenectady, NY
19 Empire Beauty School-Wyoming Valley Moosic, PA
19 Paul Mitchell the School Delaware Newark, DE
19 Capri Institute of Hair Design, Clifton Clifton, NJ
19 Empire Beauty School-Lebanon Lebanon, PA
19 Empire Beauty School-Manhattan New York, NY
19 Innovate Salon Academy South Plainfield, NJ
19 Hair Academy Inc-New Carrollton New Carrollton, MD
19 Empire Beauty School-Bloomfield Bloomfield, NJ
19 The Salon Professional Academy - Altoona Altoona, PA
19 Arrojo Cosmetology School New York, NY
19 Empire Beauty School-Reading Reading, PA
19 Empire Beauty School-Peekskill Peekskill, NY
19 Barber School of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA
19 Brittany Beauty Academy Levittown, NY
19 Paul Mitchell the School Jersey Shore Brick, NJ
19 Bella Capelli Academy Monroeville, PA
19 Shore Beauty School Egg Harbor Township, NJ
19 Empire Beauty School-Monroeville Monroeville, PA
19 Empire Beauty School-Lancaster Lancaster, PA
19 The Temple Annapolis - A Paul Mitchell Partner School Annapolis, MD
19 Empire Beauty School-Springfield Springfield, PA
19 Total Image Beauty Academy Union City, NJ
19 Empire Beauty School-Cherry Hill Cherry Hill, NJ
19 Bucks County School of Beauty Culture Inc Feasterville, PA
19 Metro Beauty Academy Allentown, PA
19 Maryland Beauty Academy of Essex Baltimore, MD
19 Monmouth County Vocational School District Freehold, NJ
19 Capri Institute of Hair Design, Brick Brick, NJ
19 South Hills Beauty Academy Inc Pittsburgh, PA
19 Lancaster School of Cosmetology & Therapeutic Bodywork Lancaster, PA
19 Rizzieri Aveda School for Beauty and Wellness Voorhees, NJ
19 Delmarva Beauty Academy Salisbury, MD
19 Christine Valmy International School of Esthetics & Cosmetology Pine Brook, NJ
19 Aveda Institute - New York New York, NY
19 Empire Beauty School-York York, PA
19 Erie 1 BOCES West Seneca, NY
19 Career School of NY Staten Island, NY
19 Aspen Beauty Academy of Laurel Laurel, MD
19 Long Island Beauty School-Hempstead Hempstead, NY
19 Empire Beauty School-Shamokin Dam Shamokin Dam, PA
19 Empire Beauty School-Owings Mills Owings Mills, MD
19 The Beauty Institute-Ambler Ambler, PA
19 Aesthetic Science Institute Latham, NY
19 Venus Beauty Academy Sharon Hill, PA
19 Artistic Academy of Hair Design Morris Plains, NJ
19 Premier Barber Institute Norristown, PA
19 Long Island Beauty School-Hauppauge Hauppauge, NY
19 Capri Institute of Hair Design, Kenilworth Kenilworth, NJ
19 Empire Beauty School-West Mifflin West Mifflin, PA
19 Grace International Beauty School Flushing, NY
19 P B Cosmetology Education Center Gloucester, NJ
19 Parisian Beauty School Hackensack, NJ
19 Cutting Edge Academy Succasunna, NJ
19 Western Suffolk BOCES Northport, NY
19 Altoona Beauty School Inc Altoona, PA
19 Baltimore Studio of Hair Design Baltimore, MD
19 Empire Beauty School-Union Union, NJ
19 The Beauty School Stroudsburg, PA
19 Montgomery Beauty School Silver Spring, MD
19 Empire Beauty School-Rochester Rochester, NY
19 Innovate Salon Academy - Ewing Ewing, NJ
19 Empire Beauty School-Cheltenham Wyncote, PA
19 Shear Ego International School of Hair Design Rochester, NY
19 Bennett Career Institute Washington, DC
19 Empire Beauty School-North Hills Pittsburgh, PA
19 Empire Beauty School-Brooklyn Brooklyn, NY
19 Empire Beauty School-Pottsville Pottsville, PA
19 Divine Crown Barber & Beauty Academy Harrisburg, PA
19 Empire Beauty School-NE Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA
19 Jean Madeline Aveda Institute Philadelphia, PA

Best Personal & Culinary Services Colleges by State

Explore the best personal & culinary services schools for a specific state in the Middle Atlantic region.

State Degrees Awarded
New Jersey 2,643
Maryland 1,280
Delaware 373
Pennsylvania 3,899
New York 6,710
District of Columbia 166

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 123 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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