Online Culinary Schools

Online Culinary Schools teach the same techniques learned in a class room!

Online Culinary School

WHAT IS CULINARY ARTS VS CULINARY SCHOOL?

The word “culinary” means “related to cooking.” The culinary arts include the skills of preparing, cooking, and presenting food. People who are culinary artists know how to create tasty, beautiful, quality dishes. 

With online culinary schools, people learn how to work as culinary artists. They study the basics of baking, cooking, food safety, developing menus, and controlling costs. They also learn how to manage food businesses as chefs, managers, or owners of restaurants. Culinary schools combine the art of making great food with the craft of running a good business. 

Through culinary school, students may learn how to work as a:

  • Restaurant manager
  • Wine director
  • Executive chef
  • Personal chef
  • Head chef
  • Head cook
  • Pastry chef

Culinary artists could also own a variety of businesses. Food trucks, restaurants, or food service companies, for example. They may also write cookbooks and teach classes, or work as freelance personal chefs. There are lots of possible options.

online culinary school infographic

ONLINE CULINARY SCHOOL

Culinary arts programs include classes and labs, some online and some in person. Classes teach theory and concepts. In their labs, students put what they have learned to practice. In some online culinary programs, students do internships to grow and gain experience. In some programs, students might take culinary arts classes with Gen Ed classes. Online culinary classes may need students to prove their techniques through virtual means. Or online students might have to visit campus for exams or labs.

Many culinary arts programs may differ from one another. But, there are core classes. Students study the basics of nutrition and combining foods. They learn how to design menus and pair foods with wines. And they see how to work in kitchens and with computer software the industry uses. 

Beyond core classes, students take classes that give them focused knowledge. This is where programs start to differ. In some cases, students focus more on management or food operations. In others, they study the basics of the arts in greater depth. They might focus more on fine dining or food services. Or they might learn more about being chefs, bakers, or nutrition-focused chefs. It depends on the program.

HOW LONG DOES CULINARY SCHOOL TAKE?

Culinary schools take one to four years, but varies by the online culinary degree program. People can earn an associate’s degree in the culinary arts in one and a half to two years. They can earn a bachelor’s degree in the culinary arts in four years. This is with full time attendance. Students who need to attend school part-time will take longer to earn a degree.

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CULINARY ARTS  SCHOOLS PROGRAM EXAMPLES

School# of Credits RequiredStart DatesMinimum Months to Complete
Culinary Institute of America69Summer, Spring and Fall18
Lakeland Community College105Spring, Summer and Fall18
Johnson & Wales University, Providence182.5Multiple Start Dates 48

THE COST OF EARNING A CULINARY ARTS DEGREE

In 2017, median in-state tuition at a public school cost $3,499. Median out-of-state tuition at a private school cost $20,700.

School# of Credits RequiredCost Per CreditAverage Annual Cost
Culinary Institute of America69$438$30,262
Johnson & Wales University, Providence182.5$202$26,880
Lake Land College105$724.47$132,216

TOP CULINARY ARTS SCHOOL

Last check, there were many schools that offer culinary arts degrees or programs. From those schools, there were 16,792 culinary arts degrees awarded to students. The majority (96.5%!) of these degrees were associate’s degrees.

Schools2017 Grads Total/Degrees AwardedAverage Annual cost
Culinary Institute of America723$30,262
Johnson & Wales University-Providence582$26,880
Lake Land College424$12,701
Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, Pasadena378$4,809
The International Culinary Center344$48,635

CHOOSING AN ACCREDITED CULINARY ARTS DEGREE PROGRAM

Accreditation helps ensure schools offer quality courses and programs. When you go to an accredited school, you know it has met rigorous standards set by an outside agency. It’s important to go to an accredited school if you want more education or to transfer to another school. Also, some employers like to hire people who went to an accredited school.

At most schools, there are two types of accreditation. One happens at the school level. An accredited school is a quality school. Another happens at the individual program level. Not all programs need accreditation, so sometimes having program accreditation is a bonus. In the case of accredited culinary arts schools and programs, the ACF manages them.  

The ACF ensures that culinary arts programs offer quality teachers, materials, and services. You can check with your school to see if it has ACF accreditation. You can also check with the ACF to see if it has accredited your school. 

The ACF also offers certifications. Culinary artists use certifications to show employers that they know their craft. They can earn certifications by taking tests in many areas like pastry and savory. They can also earn a general ACF certification or certifications at different levels. You must have a certain amount of experience to test for certifications. People who have ACF certifications must renew every three to five years.

WHAT KIND OF JOBS CAN YOU GET WITH A CULINARY ARTS DEGREE?

In 2018, there were 139,000 chef and head cook jobs in the industry. The profession is projected to could grow by 11%. Of the people earning degrees in the culinary arts, the average age was 37.9 years old. About 50 percent of students earning degrees were men and fifty percent were women. 

THE BEST STATES FOR CULINARY JOBS

StateEmploymentAnnual Mean Wage
California21,370$61,040
New York17,950$59,380
Florida12,040$53,030
Texas5,350$56,880
Massachusetts4,280$63,190

OTHER CAREERS IN CULINARY ARTS

While there are many jobs for culinary artists, the following are some more common ones:

CHEFS AND HEAD COOKS

Chefs and head cooks watch food preparation at restaurants and other places. They direct staff and handle food-related concerns. In 2018, chefs and head cooks earned a mean annual wage of $48,460. Jobs for chefs and head cooks could grow by 11%. This is faster than average.

FOOD SERVICE MANAGERS

Food service managers operate restaurants and other places where they serve food and drink. They direct staff and take care of customers’ experiences. They also help ensure the business makes money. In 2018, food service managers earned a mean annual wage of $54,240. Jobs for food service managers could grow by 11%. This is much faster than average.

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*https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d20/tables/dt20_311.15.asp

Sources for school statistics is the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics.

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