What Are the Top Schools for Culinary Arts Associate Degree Programs?
An associate's degree (AA) in culinary arts will teach you how to identify basic culinary language; create recipe;, instill leadership success; and handle, prepare and store food safely. Compare and contrast the number of degrees conferred and graduation rates from three of the top schools that offer culinary programs.
What Should I Look for in a Culinary Arts School?
When looking for a culinary arts program, consider those that allow you to explore different types of cuisine and have excellent instructors and solid graduation rates. In culinary school, you'll do more than learn to cook; you should expect to learn things like culinary math, supervision and marketing. Finally, top schools should boast their student success by listing the names of graduates who are living out their dream as executive chefs or private restaurateurs.
<h2 id="section---WhatAreThreeTopCulinaryArtsSchools">What Are Three Top Culinary Arts Schools?</h2><h3 id="section---CulinaryInstituteOfAmericaInHydeParkNY">Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY</h3><p>This campus of the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) awarded 665 associate's degrees in culinary arts and baking/pastry arts in 2020-2021, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the most of any of the schools on this list. The school also had a graduation rate of 72% for students who started their degree programs in 2018-2019, based on NCES data. Hyde Park is the main campus for the CIA and features a café and restaurant on campus.
</p><p>In addition to the school's Associate of Occupational Studies in Culinary Arts, you can also find an associate's degree program for students who already have experience in the field, as well as a baking and pastry arts associate's program. Along with your classroom training in nutrition, food safety and culinary basics, you'll also be able to participate in an externship. The 18-month externship program includes real-world experience at an approved restaurant or organization. Some of the courses you can expect to take in the culinary arts AOS program include high-volume production, American cuisine, and Mediterranean cuisine.
</p><ul><li>Associate of Occupational Studies in Culinary Arts
</li></ul><h3 id="section---JohnsonAndWalesUniversityInProvidenceRI">Johnson and Wales University in Providence, RI</h3><p>The Providence campus of Johnson and Wales University College of Culinary Arts offers several associate's degree programs for students interested in culinary arts. In 2020-2021, this university awarded 293 associate's degrees in culinary arts, according to the NCES, which is the second highest number of degrees of the top schools listed here. The school's graduation rate is 63% overall for students who started in 2015, and it was tied in 70th place among regional universities in the North by <i>U.S. News & World Report</i> in 2022.
</p><p>Along with an Associate in Science in Culinary Arts program, you can find a combined culinary arts and food service management program and a baking and pastry arts program. The AS in Culinary Arts program features lab courses that cover healthy cooking methods, plating skills, international cuisine and pastry and baking. Students are required to complete an internship, and the college offers an international student exchange program and a teaching assistant program to qualified students. Classes include European cuisine, dining room methods, and meat cutting.
</p><ul><li>AS in Culinary Arts
</li></ul><h3 id="section---MitchellTechnicalInstituteInMitchellSD">Mitchell Technical Institute in Mitchell, SD</h3><p>Coming in third is Mitchell Technical Institute in South Dakota. This school had a graduation rate of 75% for students who started in 2018, according to the NCES, and two students graduated from the culinary arts associate's degree program in 2020-2021. A military-friendly school, Mitchell Technical Institute is home to the Culinary Academy of South Dakota, which features an on-campus restaurant and a diploma program in culinary arts, as well as the Associate of Applied Science program.
</p><p>You can enroll in the diploma program and get training in customer service, food production, hospitality and sanitation, then enroll in a second year of classes to complete the AAS program. In addition to an internship, AAS programs include:
</p><ul><li>AAS Degree in Culinary Arts
</li><li>One-Year Diploma in Culinary Arts
</li></ul><h2 id="section---TopCulinaryArtsSchools">Top Culinary Arts Schools</h2><p></p><table border="1"><tr><th>College/University </th><th>Institution Type</th><th>Location</th><th>Estimated Undergrad In-State Tuition*</th></tr>
<tr><td>Columbus State Community College </td><td> 2-year, Public </td><td>Columbus, Ohio</td><td>$5,038</td></tr>
<tr><td>The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) </td><td> 2-4-year, Private</td><td> Hyde Park, NY</td><td>$35,550</td></tr>
<tr><td>El Centro College</td><td> 2-year, Public </td><td>Dallas, TX</td><td>$4,050</td></tr>
<tr><td>Florida State College at Jacksonville </td><td> 2-4-year, Public </td><td>Jacksonville, FL</td><td>$2,878</td></tr>
<tr><td>Indian Hills Community College </td><td> 2-year, Public </td><td>Ottumwa, IA</td><td>$4,560</td></tr>
<tr><td>Kapi'olani Community College, University of Hawaii</td><td> 2-year, Public </td><td>Honolulu, HI</td><td>$3,284</td></tr>
</table><p><i>*Source: NCES, U.S. Department of Education</i></p>