For a state whose economy runs on restaurants, Nevada’s culinary school list is strikingly short. Three public institutions report culinary programs (CIP 12.05 family) to the U.S. Department of Education: the College of Southern Nevada and UNLV in Las Vegas, and Truckee Meadows Community College in Reno. Average net prices run $6,615 to $10,359 a year after grants. The private culinary schools that once filled Vegas strip-mall ads are gone. What remains is public, cheap, and plugged directly into the country’s densest hospitality job market. All figures come from the College Scorecard and IPEDS, retrieved July 2026.
| School | City | Type | Tuition/yr | Net price/yr | Enrollment | Programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Truckee Meadows Community CollegeReports culinary arts, baking & pastry, and management programs to the U.S. Dept. of Education. | Reno | Public | $3,352 | $8,312 | 7,681 | Baking & Pastry Culinary Arts Culinary Management |
| College of Southern NevadaLowest average net price in the state: $6,615/yr after grants. | Las Vegas | Public | $4,358 | $6,615 | 27,252 | Culinary Arts |
| University of Nevada-Las VegasOffers a bachelor’s-level credential in this program family. | Las Vegas | Public | $9,748 | $10,359 | 24,622 | Culinary Arts |
Showing 3 of 3 schools
Standout Culinary Programs in Nevada
College of Southern Nevada: the Strip’s kitchen pipeline
CSN’s Culinary Arts A.A.S. trains cooks a short drive from more high-volume kitchens than anywhere in America, with service experience in Russell’s, the college’s student-run restaurant. At $6,615 average net and 27,252 students, it’s the biggest and cheapest culinary door in the state, and the one casino chefs actually hire from.
Truckee Meadows Community College: northern Nevada’s full menu
TMCC in Reno is the only Nevada school reporting all three tracks (culinary arts, baking & pastry, and management) through its Culinary Arts A.A.S. and a Baking & Pastry Certificate of Achievement. Average net: $8,312. If you’re north of the desert, this is the option.
UNLV: culinary management at the Harrah College
UNLV’s culinary completions run through the William F. Harrah College of Hospitality, a Culinary Arts Management major with concentrations including Beverage Management, and the federal data shows bachelor’s-and-above credentials only. This is the run-the-restaurant path, not the work-the-line path. Pair it with CSN’s A.A.S. if you want both. Average net: $10,359.
What Culinary School Costs in Nevada
All three options land between $6,615 and $10,359 net, among the tightest, cheapest spreads of any state, and all three are public, so out-of-state students should check the tuition toggle above (published out-of-state rates triple at CSN). The simple math in Vegas: a CSN associate degree costs less per year than a single month’s tuition did at the private culinary schools that used to operate here, and the casinos’ own training programs take over from there.
Schools You Might Be Searching For
Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Las Vegas closed with the chain’s U.S. exit, completed by 2017. The Art Institute of Las Vegas, another culinary staple of old Vegas school lists, closed when the Art Institutes chain shut down for good in September 2023. Neither was replaced; CSN absorbed the demand.
Nevada Culinary School FAQs
How many culinary schools are in Nevada?
3 Nevada institutions report culinary programs (CIP 12.05 family) to the U.S. Department of Education: 3 public. The count covers degree- and certificate-granting schools in the College Scorecard as of July 2026.
How much does culinary school cost in Nevada?
Average net price, what students actually pay per year after grants, ranges from $6,615 to $10,359 across Nevada culinary schools, with a median of $8,312. Published tuition is often higher; net price is the more accurate number.
What is the cheapest culinary school in Nevada?
College of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas has the lowest average net price at $6,615 per year. Community college district residents can sometimes pay less than the published in-state rate.
Which Nevada schools offer baking and pastry programs?
1 Nevada school reported baking & pastry (CIP 12.0501) completions in the latest federal data, including Truckee Meadows Community College.
Can I study culinary or restaurant management in Nevada?
Yes, 1 school reports culinary/restaurant management (CIP 12.0504) programs: Truckee Meadows Community College.
Culinary Schools in Nearby States
School list, tuition, net price, and enrollment from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS completions data (CIP 12.05 family), retrieved July 2026. Program details verified against csn.edu, tmcc.edu, and unlv.edu, July 2026. Closure records from school and news announcements.