Culinary programs in Illinois
38 culinary programs at 22 Illinois schools are in the federal data. Where earnings are reported (4 programs), the state median is $36,589 one year after completion, 8% above the national median of $33,992. Median borrower debt is $11,520.
| School | City | Program | Credential | Completers/yr | 1-yr earnings | Median debt | Monthly payment* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joliet Junior College | Joliet, IL | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 35 | $43,155 | – | – |
| National Louis University | Chicago, IL | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 83 | $38,541 | $13,083 | $149 |
| College of Lake County | Grayslake, IL | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 13 | $34,637 | – | – |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College | Chicago, IL | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 31 | $28,370 | – | – |
| Southwestern Illinois College | Belleville, IL | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 9 | not reported | – | – |
| Southwestern Illinois College | Belleville, IL | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 6 | not reported | – | – |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College | Chicago, IL | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 87 | not reported | – | – |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College | Chicago, IL | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 2 | not reported | – | – |
| Danville Area Community College | Danville, IL | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 6 | not reported | – | – |
| College of DuPage | Glen Ellyn, IL | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 10 | not reported | – | – |
| College of DuPage | Glen Ellyn, IL | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 11 | not reported | – | – |
| Elgin Community College | Elgin, IL | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 49 | not reported | – | – |
| Elgin Community College | Elgin, IL | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 14 | not reported | – | – |
| Illinois Central College | East Peoria, IL | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 1 | not reported | – | – |
| Illinois Central College | East Peoria, IL | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 8 | not reported | – | – |
| Joliet Junior College | Joliet, IL | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 43 | not reported | – | – |
| Kaskaskia College | Centralia, IL | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 47 | not reported | – | – |
| Kaskaskia College | Centralia, IL | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 1 | not reported | – | – |
| Kishwaukee College | Malta, IL | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | – | not reported | – | – |
| Kishwaukee College | Malta, IL | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 1 | not reported | – | – |
| College of Lake County | Grayslake, IL | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 49 | not reported | – | – |
| Lake Land College | Mattoon, IL | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 196 | not reported | $8,164 | $93 |
| Lincoln Land Community College | Springfield, IL | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 11 | not reported | – | – |
| Lincoln Land Community College | Springfield, IL | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 5 | not reported | – | – |
| McHenry County College | Crystal Lake, IL | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 2 | not reported | – | – |
| McHenry County College | Crystal Lake, IL | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 7 | not reported | – | – |
| Moraine Valley Community College | Palos Hills, IL | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 27 | not reported | – | – |
| Moraine Valley Community College | Palos Hills, IL | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 16 | not reported | – | – |
| National Louis University | Chicago, IL | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 30 | not reported | $11,520 | $131 |
| Prairie State College | Chicago Heights, IL | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 0 | not reported | – | – |
| Rend Lake College | Ina, IL | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 13 | not reported | – | – |
| Rend Lake College | Ina, IL | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 5 | not reported | – | – |
| Richland Community College | Decatur, IL | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 40 | not reported | – | – |
| Richland Community College | Decatur, IL | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 6 | not reported | – | – |
| Roosevelt University | Chicago, IL | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 1 | not reported | – | – |
| Triton College | River Grove, IL | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 2 | not reported | – | – |
| Triton College | River Grove, IL | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 4 | not reported | – | – |
| William Rainey Harper College | Palatine, IL | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 6 | not reported | – | – |
*Scorecard's estimated monthly payment on the median debt over 10 years. “Not reported” means the Department suppressed or did not publish the figure.
Compare schools near you
Use the data on this page to shortlist two or three schools, then contact them directly with the links provided. Ask each school the questions listed on the page.
See matched schools (partner link) Sponsored
Culinary programs by city in Illinois
Before you choose a culinary school in Illinois
There is no single required license for cooks; employers often value experience, and food-safety manager certifications are common requirements.
- What do graduates typically earn compared with the program's debt?
- Is an externship or paid stage included?
- Are knives and uniforms included in the price?
More programs in Illinois
All Illinois programs · Culinary Arts & Baking nationwide
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard Field of Study and Institution files (release dated 10/15/2026). Earnings are median annual earnings of completers working and not enrolled one year after finishing; debt is median federal loan debt of borrowers; both describe past cohorts and small programs are suppressed by the Department. See our methodology.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best-paying culinary program in Illinois?
By reported one-year earnings, Joliet Junior College leads at $43,155 in the associate degree program, but compare cost and local jobs too.
How many culinary programs are in Illinois?
The Scorecard lists 38 certificate or associate programs in this field at 22 schools in Illinois.