The Top Ten Best Public Culinary Arts Schools

SUNY College of Technology – Alfred

SUNY is an older institution (founded in 1908) and located in rural Alfred, New York. SUNY is well known for its hands-on training, small classes and top-notch faculty and staff. SUNY offers Associates of Science degrees in Culinary Arts and Baking, and allows for direct entry into their Baccalaureate program as well (management). With an acceptance rate of less than 54%, they are able to keep more than half of the classes to less than twenty students. SUNY has a respectable freshman retention rate of 82% and a six year graduation rate of 52%.

The average costs are $19,590 (in-state with room/board) and $29,240 (out-of-state with room/board) and an average of 70% of students receiving aid packages.

Pennsylvania College of Technology

Pennsylvania College of Technology is located in beautiful Williamsport, Pennsylvania. It is home to an average of 5,700 undergraduates and close to 500 faculty and staff. They offer degrees in Culinary Arts Technology (AAS), Baking & Pastry Arts (AAS), Culinary Arts & Systems (BS) and competency credentials in Dining Room Service, Professional Baking and Professional Cooking. They are partnered with the American Culinary Foundation (ACF) and offer free certifications at various levels.  In-state tuition and fees average $25,294 with room and board, while out-of-state costs are about $31,684.

Mississippi University for Women

Founded in 1884, MUW is centrally located in historic Columbus. Its name is a misnomer however; the doors were opened to men over thirty years ago. MUW provides a quality Culinary Arts program that allows continuation of your education either at Mississippi State University or Hinds Community College to achieve the degree level you are seeking. Costs for in-state tuition are a good value at $11,823 with room and board, and out-of-state costs $21,543 for the same.

Central Washington University

As its name implies, CWU is located in the center of Ellensburg, in the Kittitas Valley. Even with a total undergraduate enrollment of roughly 10,400, CWU still manages to hold fast to a 17:1 student-faculty ratio. CWU is not your traditional culinary school however; they offer degrees in Global Wine Studies, Recreation and Tourism, Craft Brewing and Supply Chain Management. They are on the lower end of tuition costs, with in-state with room and board averaging $18,771 and out-of-state at roughly $30,317.

University of Alaska – Anchorage

UA is the largest institution of higher learning in the state and located in the heart of Alaska’s capital. The University of Alaska is the leading culinary training facility in the state. They offer degree programs in Culinary Arts, Dietetics, Nutrition and Hospitality and Restaurant Management. Tuition is lower than average for in-state ($14,682) as well as out-of-state ($28,002) students, including room and board. Undergraduate enrollment for 2014-2015 was slightly over 16,500 in all degree programs.

Kennesaw State University

Kennesaw State University is located in Cobb County, Georgia, near Kennesaw Mountain. It’s most recently been home to well over 22,000 undergraduate students and 1400 faculty and staff. A Bachelor’s of Science degree is offered for majors of Culinary Sustainability and Hospitality. With 86% of students living off-campus, KSU’s tuition costs are significantly lower than average as well. In-state students pay $6,932 and out-of-state students pay $19,828.

University of Delaware

UD is housed in the school centric town of Newark in New Castle County. Located halfway between Baltimore and Philadelphia, UD began as a small private charter school in 1743. It’s come a long way since then, and the last academic year was home to more than 17,600 undergrads. The University provides a top-notch 4+1 degree program in Hotel, Restaurant, Institution and/or Hospitality Management. UD has a lower than average student to faculty ratio of 15:1, and a whopping 82% six year graduation rate. Tuition, room and board for in-state students is $24,210. Out-of-state students are higher than average at $42,560. The University of Delaware had applicants well over 24,000 for the 2013-2014 academic year, and accepted 15,000 students.

University of Alabama

The University of Alabama is the state’s flagship school, located in history-rich Tuscaloosa. Offering bachelor’s degrees in Restaurant, Hotel and Meeting Management, UA students can opt to continue on to their Master’s Degree in Human Environmental Science. While over 30,000 students applied in 2013, only 17,000 were accepted. In the 2014-2015 academic year, UA maintained a 29,440 undergraduate enrollment. In-state tuition is on the lower end of the spectrum at $18,692 with room and board.  Out-of-state costs are a bit higher, with the total coming in around $33,816.

Southeast Missouri State University

SMSU is positioned near the banks of the Mississippi River in Cape Girardeau County. Most recently home to 10,755 undergraduates and well over 500 faculty and staff, SMSU has an acceptance rate of nearly 88%. A Bachelor’s of Science in Hospitality Management will also afford you internship possibilities with partners at Disney, Hilton Worldwide, Four Seasons and many more. Tuition costs are in-line with most public schools; in-state costs are $18,692 and out-of-state costs are $33,816 (room and board included).

Colorado State University

Fort Collins is a medium-sized college city and the fourth largest population in Colorado.  CSU is a land-grant university and the state’s flagship school. Degrees are offered in Food Science and Nutrition, Hospitality Management and Fermentation Science. Undergraduate enrollment for 2014-2015 was just under 24,000, with just under 75% of applicants being accepted. Fort Collins has been on the list of ‘Best Places to Live’ three times in the past ten years. While costs are slightly higher, they are still in line with other degree-granting, public schools. In-state tuition, room and board average $20,385, while out-of-state costs hover around $36,565.