2017 RANKING & REVIEWS
TOP RANKING BEST CHEAP CULINARY SCHOOLS
2017 Guide: Take Your Skills to the Next Level with the Best Cheap Culinary Schools
For those who have culinary dreams of running bakeries or restaurants, the idea of traditional college classes and grades can be a bit difficult to swallow.
Even for those who decided to attend a culinary arts school, choosing an affordable culinary school with the appropriate program, reputation, and industry connects can often be difficult. To add to that, the cost of culinary schools has been increasing.
However, the six culinary arts schools on this list can be considered some of the cheapest and at the same time best culinary schools in America. These cheap culinary schools are found throughout the United States.
Award Emblem: Top 6 Best Cheap Culinary Schools
Some are well-known and have established training camps for some of the leading talents in the food industry. These culinary schools in America are equipped with programs designed to prepare aspiring cooks and bakers to work in the industry in the shortest possible time.
Despite their differences, these culinary arts academies pride themselves on their mission to protect and shape the future of the culinary arts institute, both in the United States and abroad. Becoming a leader or managing kitchens and restaurants of hotels is gratifying. You get a chance to express yourself through food while making money and receiving benefits.
However, a good school of culinary arts is imperative to make this dream a reality. This is where cheap culinary schools can help out. When you are looking for the best cheap culinary school to attend, you probably have many questions, including:
- What is the average cost of culinary schools?
- Are there funding programs to cover culinary school tuition?
- What is the best cheap culinary school?
Throughout our 2017 guide, we will cover these topics and more. We will discuss the cost of culinary schools, what to look for in a cheap culinary school, and review the top six cheap culinary schools.
See Also: Best Culinary Schools in America
AdvisoryHQ’s List of Top 6 Cheap Culinary Schools
List is sorted alphabetically (click any of the cheap culinary schools below to go directly to the detailed review section for that cheap culinary school site):
- Chattahoochee Technical College
- Cochise College
- Galveston College
- North Georgia Technical College
- Odessa College
- South Texas College
Top 6 Best Cheap Culinary Schools | Brief Comparison & Ranking
Cheap Culinary Schools | Location (City, State) | Annual Tuition |
| Chattahoochee Technical College | Marietta, Georgia | $4,818 |
| Cochise College | Sierra Vista, Arizona | $6,000 |
| Galveston College | Galveston, Texas | $4,150 |
| North Georgia Technical College | Clarkesville, Georgia | $4,820 |
| Odessa College | Odessa, Texas | $5,160 |
| South Texas College | McAllen, Texas | $4,464 |
Table: Top 6 Best Cheap Culinary Schools / Above list is sorted alphabetically
Detailed Overview: What to Consider in a Culinary Arts School
There are various means to get into a culinary arts academy, and one will be more convenient for you than others. What is good for you depends on your goals, talent, and current status. Do you want to get into management? Can you afford the culinary school’s tuition?
Do you want to focus exclusively on the kitchen? Is it an important title for you? Do you like theory? What is your financial situation? How fast do you want to be in the workplace? You can train for a culinary career in as little as six months or up to four years.
Culinary Arts Academy
When you are looking at culinary arts schools, it is important to consider the following:
- Cost: The cost of culinary schools can be pretty pricey. It is important to have an idea of cheap culinary schools prior to choosing the culinary school. This will help you control your spending on education and choose affordable culinary schools that fit your budget. Good culinary schools play an important role in shaping our future chefs and restaurateurs. With good education in a school of culinary arts, students can learn how to begin their career well as a chef in a restaurant or running a food business.
- Location: Choosing a culinary arts institute that is near your place of residence is the perfect thing. This makes your travel and transportation and accommodation easier to save money. Whenever possible, choose a school of culinary arts near you.
- Reputation: Reputation is defined as an unequivocal attribute attached to a group or individual. This has to do with the image that is carried out by a culinary arts academy. Be sure to choose a school with a respectable reputation.
- Accreditation: Complying with the standards and providing a decent quality culinary education enables culinary schools to get accreditation from different groups. The largest accrediting body for culinary schools in America is the ACFFAC (American Culinary Federation Foundation Accreditation Committee). Choosing an accredited and cheap culinary school is the best option.
Choosing a good culinary school is one thing that should be taken very serious. The school of culinary arts you enroll in will have a big impact on your culinary career.
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Detailed Review – Top Ranking Best Cheap Culinary Schools
Below, please find the detailed review of each school of culinary arts on our list of affordable culinary schools. We have highlighted some of the factors that allowed these good culinary schools to score so highly in our selection ranking.
Chattahoochee Technical College Review
Chattahoochee Technical College is a two-year state technical school, located in Marietta, Georgia. It is administered by the Georgia Technical University system. The total number of students is 11,564. Chattahoochee Technical College tuition fees in the state are slightly cheaper than other public universities.
Chattahoochee Technical College is one of the most affordable culinary schools.
The culinary school tuition is the same as the tuition for other programs. At Chattahoochee Technical College, the culinary arts institute prepares each student for a career as a restaurateur, executive chef, food writer, food and beverage manager, research manager, or as a culinary educator.
Courses in the program include: recipe and menu planning, preparation and cooking of foods, supervision and training of kitchen assistants, food management and cooking resources, presentation of food, and a variety of cuisines and culinary techniques.
Bottom Line
Chattahoochee Technical College is up there as one on America’s good culinary schools. The quality of services is exceptional, and the school provides all you need for those willing to make use of the available resources.
Cochise College Review
Cochise College is a public university in Sierra Vista, Arizona. The College also offers transfer programs for transfer students to partner universities. Cochise College is a small school with a population of about 4,912 students.
Cochise College culinary school tuition of $6,000 is affordable. The school of culinary arts offers culinary arts training for direct employment purposes in the field of professional cooking as a kitchen helper or food and beverage manager. A total of 64 units is required for a culinary arts degree.
Their cheap culinary school offers culinary arts training for direct employment purposes in the field of professional cooking as a kitchen helper or food and beverage manager.
Bottom Line
As one of the best culinary schools around, Cochise prides itself in having a highly credentialed and experienced faculty.
Related: Everything You Need to Know About Opening a Restaurant & Managing It
Galveston College Review
Galveston College is a small school with a total population of 2,222 students in all. Of the 182 full-time students who received financial aid for the first time, 83% of the students received assistance in the form of grants or scholarships.
Galveston College offers a total of 54 programs ranging from chemistry and developmental education to a culinary arts academy.
The standard and cheap culinary school at Galveston College prepares students for a career as a restaurateur, executive chef, food and beverage manager, food writer, research manager, or as a culinary educator. The $4,150 tuition makes it an affordable culinary school.
The program focuses on cooking services in restaurants and other commercial food establishments. The school of culinary arts program includes recipes and menus planning, preparation and cooking of foods, supervision and training of kitchen assistants, food management and cooking resources, presentation of food, and a variety of cuisines and culinary techniques.
Bottom Line
Galveston College is a good culinary school for students who want to get started. It really does have good technical programs as well as basic core classes. It is up there as one of the affordable culinary schools in America.
North Georgia Technical College Review
Despite the high cost of culinary schools, North Georgia Technical College culinary school tuition is just $4,820, which is very affordable. Culinary arts programs are available at the Blairsville and Currahee campus.
Experiential learning strengthens the skills needed for a successful career in the food service industry. Students of this good culinary school learn basic and advanced food preparation techniques as well as international cooking, menu development, and restaurant operations. Graduates will be prepared to take advantage of opportunities as cooks, bakers, caterers, and culinary managers.
The associate degree programs in culinary arts prepare students for the demands of a career in a professional kitchen. Technical and theoretical programs are put into practice with the practical application of food, service, and food management. The program emphasizes a combination of theory and practical culinary application necessary for successful employment.
Graduates of this culinary arts academy receive an Associate in Applied Science of Culinary Arts.
Bottom Line
North Georgia Technical College is a cheap culinary school that boasts a well-maintained kitchen with state-of-the-art equipment. Students participate in hands-on skill development in classes with a small student-to-instructor ratio.
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Odessa College Review
Odessa College is a two-year public college based in Odessa, Texas, in the United States serving the people of Ector County and the Permian Basin. It was created in 1946 and currently has about 5,000 students per year in its professional/technical courses and 11,000 students per year in its continuing education, basic education, and recreational community courses.
Notwithstanding the high cost of culinary schools in America, Odessa College also has a relatively cheap culinary school with tuition fee of $5,160. Odessa College offers students two associate degree options in applied sciences in the culinary arts.
Option 1, culinary arts, focuses on the preparation and refinement of baking and cooking skills. The second option, food service management, focuses on basic skills in food preparation and food service management. The two options prepare people in entry-level jobs and provide people with sufficient reasoning ability to get a breakthrough in the chosen profession.
Bottom Line
Though it is a small school, the staff is very helpful and you can acquire that interpersonal, one-on-one counselor experience. Odessa College is a cheap culinary school that offers a two-year program with a total of 60 units.
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South Texas College Review
The South Texas College (STC) is a public community college that boasts a culinary school in America. It is located in the Rio Grande Valley region of South Texas and is accredited by the University Commission of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award Bachelor of Applied Technology, Associate in Applied Science, and Arts and Associate degrees. STC has a workforce of about 31,000 students and a staff of 1,600 people working on six campuses.
In a state where the cost of culinary schools is high, South Texas College is one of the very cheap culinary schools in Texas. The culinary program will prepare students through lectures and laboratory classes in the culinary arts, nutrition, supervision, training, and general education courses. This school of culinary arts leads to careers in restaurants, catering, hotels and resorts, and other commercial catering services.
Graduates serve as assistant chiefs, professional chef assistants or principals, culinary supervisors of the food production service, and administrators, managers, agents, or supervisors of restaurant purchasing. It is a two-year program consisting of 15 units per semester.
Bottom Line
Students in the degree program automatically qualify for the first level of ACF (American Culinary Federation) certification. This ultimately helps to eliminate the monopoly of colleges where the cost of culinary schools is high.
Read More: Best Ways to Save for College
Conclusion – Top 6 Best Cheap Culinary Schools
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that demand for great chefs and cooks in restaurants and other establishments will grow 9% in coming years, faster than most other industries in the country. With the popularity of cooking programs and contests, more and more people are interested in culinary schools in America and what it takes to succeed in the industry.
Obtaining a certificate or degree at a culinary arts school not only provides the experience and training required to get your foot in the door, but also provides a foundation for upward mobility to become the future leaders and pace setters in the industry.
Today, chefs and other high-level restaurant employees must develop their business and management skills as well as their cooking skills. Areas of expertise should include essential elements such as strategic planning, budgeting, computer literacy, how to prepare employees, conflict resolution, and communication skills.
With the cost of culinary schools skyrocketing, it is not easy to sort through a long list of schools in search of cheap culinary schools. That is why this list of cheap culinary school was reduced to six. While selecting this list, it is imperative to take into account factors such as cost, location, history, and prestige, among others.
Best Cheap Culinary Schools
While each of the cheap culinary schools described here have unique characteristics, the choice of a good culinary school should be one that satisfies most or all of your personal needs. Choosing a culinary school should be taken very seriously, as the culinary arts institute you enroll in will have a big impact on your culinary career.
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