13 colleges and career schools in Wisconsin train cooks, chefs and bakers, all of them public community or technical colleges. After grants, students pay between $8,255 and $14,238 a year on average, with a median of $10,303; the lowest-cost option is Nicolet Area Technical College in Rhinelander. Of these, 8 teach baking & pastry and 4 offer culinary or restaurant management.
The table below lists every Wisconsin school that reported culinary graduates to the U.S. Department of Education and whose own catalog still shows the program, checked in November 2026. Net price is what aid recipients actually paid per year, school-wide, from the federal College Scorecard; sort by it rather than by the published tuition. Programs we single out further down were checked on each school’s website.
| School | City | Type | Tuition/yr | Net price/yr | Enrollment | Programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackhawk Technical College | Janesville | Public | $4,267 | $9,330 | 2,488 | Culinary Arts |
| Nicolet Area Technical CollegeLowest average net price in the state: $8,255/yr after grants. | Rhinelander | Public | $4,793 | $8,255 | 663 | Baking & Pastry Culinary Arts Culinary Management |
| Moraine Park Technical College | Fond du Lac | Public | $4,819 | $9,268 | 2,464 | Culinary Arts |
| Lakeshore Technical CollegeReports both culinary arts and baking & pastry completions. | Cleveland | Public | $4,844 | $9,653 | 1,886 | Baking & Pastry Culinary Arts |
| Chippewa Valley Technical CollegeReports both culinary arts and baking & pastry completions. | Eau Claire | Public | $4,844 | $12,285 | 4,272 | Baking & Pastry Culinary Arts Culinary Management |
| Waukesha County Technical CollegeReports culinary arts, baking & pastry, and management programs to the U.S. Dept. of Education. | Pewaukee | Public | $4,872 | $11,101 | 4,955 | Baking & Pastry Culinary Arts Culinary Management |
| Northcentral Technical College | Wausau | Public | $4,889 | $10,303 | 3,257 | Culinary Arts |
| Gateway Technical CollegeReports both culinary arts and baking & pastry completions. | Kenosha | Public | $4,956 | $12,928 | 4,759 | Baking & Pastry Culinary Arts |
| Northeast Wisconsin Technical College | Green Bay | Public | $4,960 | $9,918 | 5,704 | Culinary Arts |
| Madison Area Technical CollegeReports culinary arts, baking & pastry, and management programs to the U.S. Dept. of Education. | Madison | Public | $4,977 | $14,238 | 10,073 | Baking & Pastry Culinary Arts Culinary Management |
| Mid-State Technical College | Wisconsin Rapids | Public | $5,002 | $10,873 | 2,288 | Culinary Arts |
| Fox Valley Technical CollegeReports both culinary arts and baking & pastry completions. | Appleton | Public | $5,040 | $11,407 | 5,825 | Baking & Pastry Culinary Arts |
| Milwaukee Area Technical CollegeLargest enrollment on this list (12,024 students). | Milwaukee | Public | $5,184 | $9,112 | 12,024 | Baking & Pastry Culinary Arts |
Showing 13 of 13 schools
Standout culinary programs in Wisconsin
Every school on the list is a Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) college, so the state-approved “Culinary Arts” degree looks similar everywhere; ACF status, baking options and college fees differ. Six colleges have programs on the American Culinary Federation’s accredited list.
Fox Valley Technical College (Appleton)
- Programs: “Culinary Arts – Associate Degree” (60 credits, full or part time), plus Baking & Pastry Management (AAS, 60 credits), Baking & Pastry Production (technical diploma, 27 credits) and a Culinary Apprenticeship.
- ACF: accredited, with the AAS listed through December 2032, the longest-dated accreditation in Wisconsin.
- 2026-27 cost: Fox Valley estimates $12,300 in tuition and fees, plus $430 for materials and $1,740 for textbooks, about $14,470 in all (our arithmetic).
- Suits: Fox Cities students who want an ACF-accredited degree with room to switch into baking.
Madison College (Madison)
- Programs: “Culinary Arts” associate degree (61 credits, two years, 100% in person at the Truax campus, with a live-restaurant course) and the “Baking and Decorative Arts Technical Diploma” (28 credits, one year, weekdays 7:30 am to 1:30 pm). The federal data lists the college as Madison Area Technical College.
- ACF: ACF accreditation through December 2026 for both the culinary degree and the baking diploma. Check the ACF list in 2027 before relying on it.
- 2026-27 cost: Madison College estimates $13,420.07 for the degree and $6,864.36 for the baking diploma.
- Suits: Madison-area students, and anyone who wants a one-year baking credential rather than a two-year degree.
Milwaukee Area Technical College (Milwaukee)
- Programs: the WTCS program finder lists MATC for “Culinary Arts” and for “Baking and Pastry Arts” (10-314-1). MATC is the only WTCS college with that baking & pastry associate degree.
- ACF: not on the ACF accredited list.
- 2026-27 cost: the statewide $157.45 per credit program fee for residents, plus MATC’s own fees, which we could not confirm because the college’s website would not load during our checks. Its average net price is $9,112.
- Suits: Milwaukee residents, especially those set on a full baking & pastry degree.
Waukesha County Technical College (Pewaukee)
- Programs: “Culinary Management” (61-credit AAS, two years) and “Baking and Pastry Management” (61-credit AAS).
- ACF: the culinary management degree is accredited through June 2028, and WCTC says it holds “exemplary status” from the ACF’s accrediting commission.
- 2026-27 cost: about $9,604 in state program fees for 61 credits (our arithmetic), plus college fees, a $530 knife set, $200 for uniforms, $50 non-slip shoes and a laptop. The baking kit is $538.
- Suits: students in Milwaukee’s western suburbs who want ACF-accredited training with a management focus.
Chippewa Valley Technical College (Eau Claire)
- Programs: “Culinary Management” associate degree (60 credits, two years) and a Baking & Pastry Specialist technical diploma.
- ACF: accredited through June 2030.
- 2026-27 cost: CVTC estimates $15,277 for the degree, including materials and books.
- Suits: western Wisconsin students who want an accredited program in the Eau Claire area.
Nicolet College (Rhinelander)
- Programs: “Culinary Arts” AAS (62 credits), “Culinary Management” AAS (61 credits) and a 13-credit “Baking” technical certificate.
- ACF: not on the ACF list.
- 2026-27 cost: program tuition of $12,034 for Culinary Arts (plus $1,226 for books and supplies), $10,924 for Culinary Management (plus $1,350) and $2,760 for the baking certificate. Nicolet also has the lowest average net price in the state, $8,255.
- Suits: Northwoods students and anyone looking for the lowest-cost degree.
Northcentral Technical College (Wausau)
- Program: “Culinary Arts”, a 62-credit associate degree taught mainly in Wausau. Transfer options include Johnson & Wales and UW–Stout.
- ACF: not on the ACF list.
- 2026-27 cost: NTC puts the program at about $15,371 ($13,660 tuition and fees, $1,711 books and supplies).
- Suits: central Wisconsin students who may want to continue to a bachelor’s degree.
Three more options we confirmed on the colleges’ own sites:Blackhawk Technical College’s 64-credit Culinary Arts degree on its Beloit-Janesville campus (ACF through December 2027), Lakeshore Technical College’s 60-credit Culinary Arts degree in Cleveland, between Sheboygan and Manitowoc (ACF through June 2027), and Mid-State Technical College’s 63-64 credit Culinary Arts AAS in Wisconsin Rapids. Gateway, Moraine Park and Northeast Wisconsin Technical College are in the table, but their websites would not load during our checks, so we do not describe their programs here.
What culinary school costs in Wisconsin
Wisconsin has one statewide price: the WTCS board sets the same program fee at all 16 technical colleges. For 2026-27 it is $157.45 per credit for residents and $236.18 for out-of-state students, so out-of-state students pay 1.5 times as much. There is no in-district discount. A 60-credit associate degree comes to $9,447 in program fees for residents and about $14,171 out of state (our arithmetic). Each college then adds its own activity, technology and material fees (material fees start at $4.00 per credit), which is why the colleges’ own estimates run higher: Fox Valley $12,300 in tuition and fees, Blackhawk $12,553, Madison College $13,420.07, Lakeshore $14,194.19, Mid-State $14,636.85, CVTC $15,277 and Northcentral $15,371.
The shortest paid routes are Nicolet’s baking certificate ($2,760) and Madison College’s one-year baking diploma ($6,864.36). By average net price, what aid recipients actually paid per year school-wide, the colleges range from $8,255 at Nicolet to $14,238 at Madison College. Our methodology page explains how we use these figures. Students near the borders can compare Minnesota and Illinois, but should expect out-of-state rates.
Culinary jobs and pay in Wisconsin
Wisconsin bakers earn slightly more than the national median, while cooks, chefs and food service managers earn somewhat less.
| Job | Jobs in Wisconsin | Median pay in Wisconsin | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Restaurant cooks | 25,410 | $36,550 | $37,390 |
| Bakers | 4,930 | $37,310 | $37,160 |
| Chefs and head cooks | 1,860 | $61,300 | $62,470 |
| Food service managers | 6,000 | $61,810 | $69,390 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Studying online from Wisconsin?
If no campus is close enough, accredited online diplomas and associate degrees in culinary arts and baking & pastry exist, but every one ends with an in-person externship in a working kitchen. Escoffier’s online baking & pastry diploma costs $22,800 and its associate degree $34,425 for the whole program. The Institute of Culinary Education’s online programs are not approved for Wisconsin residents. We compare every option, with accreditation and outcomes, on our online culinary schools page. For campus programs, see our baking & pastry and culinary management pages.
Closed or changed schools you may still see listed
- Southwest Wisconsin Technical College (Fennimore): cut its culinary arts and culinary management programs, as reported in May 2025, and is no longer on the state’s program finder for either. We have removed it from the table.
- Western Technical College (La Crosse): its current program list shows no culinary, baking or food service program; we found no dated closure notice.
- The Art Institute of Wisconsin (Milwaukee): stopped taking new students in May 2015 and let enrolled students finish.
- Madison College: its ACF accreditation runs through December 2026; the programs themselves continue.
Wisconsin culinary school FAQs
How many culinary schools are in Wisconsin?
13 public technical colleges in Wisconsin report culinary programs to the U.S. Department of Education and still list them in their catalogs. All belong to the Wisconsin Technical College System; Southwest Wisconsin Technical College cut its culinary programs and is no longer counted.
How much does culinary school cost in Wisconsin?
After grants, students pay between $8,255 and $14,238 a year on average, with a median of $10,303. For 2026-27, every technical college charges the same state program fee of $157.45 per credit for residents, so a 60-credit associate degree is $9,447 in program fees before college fees; Fox Valley estimates $12,300 in tuition and fees for its degree.
What is the cheapest culinary school in Wisconsin?
Nicolet College in Rhinelander has the lowest average net price, $8,255 a year, and the lowest associate degree tuition we found: $10,924 for Culinary Management. Its 13-credit Baking certificate, at $2,760, is the cheapest credential.
Which Wisconsin schools offer baking and pastry programs?
Milwaukee Area Technical College has the state's only Baking and Pastry Arts associate degree. Fox Valley and Waukesha County Technical College offer Baking and Pastry Management degrees, Madison College a one-year Baking and Decorative Arts diploma, Chippewa Valley a Baking and Pastry Specialist diploma, and Nicolet College a Baking certificate.
Which Wisconsin culinary programs are ACF-accredited?
Fox Valley (through December 2032), Chippewa Valley (June 2030), Waukesha County (June 2028), Lakeshore (June 2027) and Blackhawk (December 2027) are on the American Culinary Federation list. Madison College has ACF accreditation through December 2026.
Do out-of-state students pay more at Wisconsin technical colleges?
Yes. For 2026-27 out-of-state students pay $236.18 per credit, 1.5 times the $157.45 resident rate. There is no separate in-district rate because the fee is set statewide.
Culinary schools in nearby states
Sources
- Wisconsin Technical College System, Tuition & Fee Guide FY 2026-27, retrieved November 9, 2026
- WTCS program finder, Culinary Arts, retrieved November 9, 2026
- WTCS program finder, Baking and Pastry Arts, retrieved November 9, 2026
- American Culinary Federation, Accredited Postsecondary Programs, retrieved November 9, 2026
- Fox Valley Technical College, Culinary Arts, retrieved November 9, 2026
- Madison College, Culinary Arts, retrieved November 9, 2026
- Madison College, Baking and Decorative Arts, retrieved November 9, 2026
- Waukesha County Technical College, Culinary Management, retrieved November 9, 2026
- Chippewa Valley Technical College, Culinary Management, retrieved November 9, 2026
- Nicolet College, Culinary Arts, retrieved November 9, 2026
- Northcentral Technical College, Culinary Arts, retrieved November 9, 2026
- Blackhawk Technical College, Culinary Arts, retrieved November 9, 2026
- Lakeshore Technical College, Culinary Arts, retrieved November 9, 2026
- Mid-State Technical College, Culinary Arts, retrieved November 9, 2026
- Wisconsin Watch (via Civic Media), Southwest Tech program cuts, May 29, 2025, retrieved November 9, 2026
- FOX6, Art Institute of Wisconsin stops new enrollment, May 7, 2015, retrieved November 9, 2026
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025, retrieved November 9, 2026
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, retrieved November 9, 2026