Culinary Schools with the Highest Acceptance Rates

1. Kendall College

Kendall College is part of Laureate International Universities, a worldwide consortium of post-secondary schools and institutions. Its renowned School of Culinary Arts graduates are numbered over 1,200 and are from all over the world. Centrally located in the Chicago culinary mecca, Kendall has access to hundreds of restaurants and dining establishments of all aspects. KC accepted 99.1% of its undergraduates in the 2014-2015 academic year.

2. Pennsylvania College of Technology

Penn College is located in the beautiful suburban town of Williamsport, in Lycoming County. A public university, the School of Business and Hospitality offers degrees in Culinary Arts & Systems, Baking & Pastry Arts and Culinary Arts Technology, as well as specialized certificates and management degrees. Penn College enrolls almost 6,000 undergraduates in over 100 different majors, and accepts 90% of applicants.

3. Keuka College

Keuka College is a 288 acre liberal arts college on the shores of Keuka Lake in scenic northwest New York. KC offers 34 traditional degree programs, including a Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Management (with a hospitality focus). Their total undergraduate enrollment is just under 1,900 students, and they accept 87.8% of the 1,375 applicants each year.

4. Southeast Missouri State University

SMSU is ranked #95 by U.S. News for Best Regional University (Midwest). Situated in the little town of Cape Girardeau, it is home to almost 11,000 undergraduate students. Through the Department of Management and Marketing, SMSU offers a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management. With an average number of hopeful candidates each fall semester well over 4,300, Southeast Missouri State University accepts 87.5% of them.

5. University of Nevada at Las Vegas

UNLV is a 332 acre campus in the heart of bustling Las Vegas. The university is known for its strong focus on science and management, and offers five different Bachelor’s degrees in Hospitality Management, one master’s program and a Doctor of Philosophy in Hospitality Administration as well. With a large undergraduate class of just over 20,000 students, UNLV still maintains a 21:1 student to faculty ratio. With over 7,300 new applicants each year, the University of Nevada accepts 85.1% of potential students.

6. Central Washington University

Based in rural Ellensburg, CWU is recognized as one of the top LGBT friendly universities and is #2 nationally for undergraduate minority graduation rates. They offer a unique variety of culinary programs, from a Bachelor’s of Science in Craft Brewing, Bachelors of Sconce in Food and Nutrition and a top-notch research program in wine quality. Central Washington University is ranked #51 by U.S. News for Best Regional University (West) and is home to well over 10,000 undergraduate students. Over 4,500 students apply each year, and CWU enrolls 82.2% into a program.

7. Drexel University

DU is an urban university located in downtown Philadelphia. Ranked #95 for Best University, Drexel is a full research university and offers more than 70 undergraduate programs and over 100 graduate and professional degrees. DU’s Center for Hospitality and Sports Management affords Bachelors of Science in both Culinary Arts and Culinary Science, as well as Hospitality Management and a ‘custom designed major’ option. A whopping 43,000 students apply annually to Drexel University, and 81.5% are accepted.

8. University of Alaska at Anchorage

UA is a 387 acre public research university in Alaska’s most populated city of Anchorage. While some of its most popular programs include nursing and government, UA also offers an Associate’s degree in Culinary Arts and a Bachelor’ Degree in Hospitality and Restaurant Management. UA was ranked #68 by U.S. News for Regional Universities (West). Over 16,500 undergraduate students dwell at the University of Alaska. Annual admission requests total just under 4,000 and 79.7% are accepted into the undergrad programs.

9. Southern New Hampshire University

SNHU is situated in the center of active Manchester, New Hampshire, in New England. A private university on 300 scenic acres, SNHU provides over 100 undergraduate degree options. In the field of food, they offer Associates degrees in Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Culinary Management. SNHU undergraduate enrollment is just over 18,000 and they accept 79.7% of the 4,000 students who apply annually.

10. Colorado State University

CSU is a Colorado’s flagship land-grant university. Recently ranked #121 in National Universities by U.S. News, CSU offers Bachelor’s degrees in over 65 different fields. Fort Collins, where CSU is located, is a mid-sized college town that was the inspiration for Disney’s ‘Main Street USA”, and has been named “Best Place to Live” on three separate occasions by Money Magazine. Colorado State University offers degree programs in Nutrition and Food Science, Fermentation Science and Technology, Hospitality Management, and both a masters and doctoral program in Food Science and Human Nutrition. The current number of undergraduates is just under 24,000, and CSU accepts 77.4% of the potential 18,000 students who apply.