Best Schools for Culinary Arts and Related Services in 2026

12 schools ranked by DegreeWorth Score · Updated 2026

These are the top schools offering Culinary Arts and Related Services, ranked by DegreeWorth Score. The score combines graduate earnings, AI automation resilience, job market demand, and return on tuition investment. The average Culinary Arts and Related Services graduate earns $28,611/yr across 12 schools.

Programs Ranked
12
Avg Earnings
$28,611/yr
Avg DW Score
40/100
AI Risk
Low
24% task exposure

All Culinary Arts and Related Services Programs Ranked

Click any row for full AI scenario analysis, earnings projections, and career path breakdown.

# School DW Score Earnings ROI
1 Culinary Institute of America
Hyde Park, NY · Private nonprofit
50
48–50
$43,808/yr 1.9x
2 University of North Alabama
Florence, AL · Public
47
47–47
$33,884/yr 6.1x
3 Southern New Hampshire University
Manchester, NH · Private nonprofit
46
46–47
$35,959/yr 5.8x
4 SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill
Cobleskill, NY · Public
40
41–41
$27,738/yr 9.3x
5 Nicholls State University
Thibodaux, LA · Public
39
39–40
$23,038/yr 10.8x
6 Mississippi University for Women
Columbus, MS · Public
37
37–38
$20,026/yr 10.3x
7 Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science
Paul Smiths, NY · Private nonprofit
37
37–38
$31,506/yr 2.3x
8 SUNY College of Technology at Delhi
Delhi, NY · Public
37
37–37
$20,213/yr 4.8x
9 Johnson & Wales University-Providence
Providence, RI · Private nonprofit
36
36–37
$32,775/yr 1.4x
10 Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Carolina Campus
Carolina, PR · Private nonprofit
36
35–36
$14,017/yr 10.2x
11 Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte
Charlotte, NC · Private nonprofit
36
36–37
$32,775/yr 1.4x
12 Walnut Hill College
Philadelphia, PA · Private for-profit
34
34–35
$27,593/yr 2.8x

Methodology

Programs are ranked by DegreeWorth Score, which combines four equally weighted factors: graduate earnings (Year 1 after graduation), AI automation resilience (based on OpenAI and academic research), job market size (BLS annual openings), and earnings-to-tuition multiple (10-year projected earnings vs. 4-year tuition).

Earnings data comes from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, which reports actual median earnings of graduates — not self-reported surveys.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best school for Culinary Arts and Related Services?
Based on our DegreeWorth Score, Culinary Institute of America ranks #1 for Culinary Arts and Related Services with a score of 50/100 and graduate earnings of $43,808/yr.
How much do Culinary Arts and Related Services graduates earn?
Across 12 schools, Culinary Arts and Related Services graduates earn an average of $28,611/yr in their first year. The highest-earning program reports $43,808/yr.
Is Culinary Arts and Related Services a good major for AI resistance?
Culinary Arts and Related Services has an average AI task exposure of 24%, rated "Low". This is a relatively AI-resistant field.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Last updated 2025.