Culinary programs in North Carolina
52 culinary programs at 28 North Carolina schools are in the federal data. Where earnings are reported (4 programs), the state median is $35,234 one year after completion, 4% above the national median of $33,992. Median borrower debt is $13,944.
| School | City | Program | Credential | Completers/yr | 1-yr earnings | Median debt | Monthly payment* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wake Technical Community College | Raleigh, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 20 | $46,577 | – | – |
| Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte | Charlotte, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 161 | $36,999 | $14,137 | $161 |
| Central Piedmont Community College | Charlotte, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 25 | $33,470 | – | – |
| Guilford Technical Community College | Jamestown, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 13 | $28,755 | $27,000 | $307 |
| College of the Albemarle | Elizabeth City, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 10 | not reported | – | – |
| South Piedmont Community College | Polkton, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | – | not reported | – | – |
| South Piedmont Community College | Polkton, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 1 | not reported | – | – |
| Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College | Asheville, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 48 | not reported | $13,751 | $156 |
| Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College | Asheville, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 31 | not reported | – | – |
| Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute | Hudson, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 0 | not reported | – | – |
| Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute | Hudson, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 17 | not reported | – | – |
| Cape Fear Community College | Wilmington, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 2 | not reported | – | – |
| Cape Fear Community College | Wilmington, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 7 | not reported | – | – |
| Carteret Community College | Morehead City, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 29 | not reported | – | – |
| Carteret Community College | Morehead City, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 3 | not reported | – | – |
| Central Carolina Community College | Sanford, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 6 | not reported | – | – |
| Central Carolina Community College | Sanford, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 5 | not reported | – | – |
| Central Piedmont Community College | Charlotte, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 57 | not reported | – | – |
| Coastal Carolina Community College | Jacksonville, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 14 | not reported | – | – |
| Coastal Carolina Community College | Jacksonville, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 12 | not reported | – | – |
| Durham Technical Community College | Durham, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 13 | not reported | – | – |
| Durham Technical Community College | Durham, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 2 | not reported | – | – |
| Fayetteville Technical Community College | Fayetteville, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 13 | not reported | $10,500 | $119 |
| Fayetteville Technical Community College | Fayetteville, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 4 | not reported | – | – |
| Guilford Technical Community College | Jamestown, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 36 | not reported | $20,400 | $232 |
| Lenoir Community College | Kinston, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 0 | not reported | – | – |
| Lenoir Community College | Kinston, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 7 | not reported | – | – |
| Livingstone College | Salisbury, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 0 | not reported | – | – |
| Livingstone College | Salisbury, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 3 | not reported | – | – |
| Mitchell Community College | Statesville, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 15 | not reported | – | – |
| Mitchell Community College | Statesville, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 2 | not reported | – | – |
| Montgomery Community College | Troy, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 0 | not reported | – | – |
| Nash Community College | Rocky Mount, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 7 | not reported | – | – |
| Nash Community College | Rocky Mount, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 2 | not reported | – | – |
| Piedmont Community College | Roxboro, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 0 | not reported | – | – |
| Robeson Community College | Lumberton, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 2 | not reported | – | – |
| Robeson Community College | Lumberton, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 7 | not reported | – | – |
| Sandhills Community College | Pinehurst, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 7 | not reported | – | – |
| Sandhills Community College | Pinehurst, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 6 | not reported | – | – |
| Southwestern Community College | Sylva, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 10 | not reported | – | – |
| Southwestern Community College | Sylva, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 3 | not reported | – | – |
| Alamance Community College | Graham, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 0 | not reported | – | – |
| Alamance Community College | Graham, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 2 | not reported | – | – |
| Tri-County Community College | Murphy, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 0 | not reported | – | – |
| Tri-County Community College | Murphy, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 3 | not reported | – | – |
| Vance-Granville Community College | Henderson, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 1 | not reported | – | – |
| Vance-Granville Community College | Henderson, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 2 | not reported | – | – |
| Wake Technical Community College | Raleigh, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 41 | not reported | $9,552 | $109 |
| Wilkes Community College | Wilkesboro, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 33 | not reported | – | – |
| Wilkes Community College | Wilkesboro, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 9 | not reported | – | – |
| Wilson Community College | Wilson, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Certificate | 2 | not reported | – | – |
| Wilson Community College | Wilson, NC | Culinary Arts and Related Services | Associate degree | 2 | 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.
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Culinary programs by city in North Carolina
Before you choose a culinary school in North Carolina
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 North Carolina
All North Carolina 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 North Carolina?
By reported one-year earnings, Wake Technical Community College leads at $46,577 in the associate degree program, but compare cost and local jobs too.
How many culinary programs are in North Carolina?
The Scorecard lists 52 certificate or associate programs in this field at 28 schools in North Carolina.