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Culinary Schools in Baltimore (2026-27)

By · Reviewed November 10, 2026 · Editorial policy

The two ACF-accredited culinary schools in Baltimore’s commuting range are both in the suburbs, and Baltimore City and Baltimore County residents pay the out-of-county rate at each. Howard Community College in Columbia is the lower-cost credit option for city and county residents, at about $18,894 in tuition and fees for its 61-credit Culinary Arts Management AAS in 2026-27; Anne Arundel Community College’s Hotel, Culinary Arts and Tourism Institute (Arnold and Glen Burnie) comes to about $21,145 for its 61-credit Culinary Arts or Baking and Pastry Arts AAS. Both are accredited by the American Culinary Federation (ACF). Inside the city, no college offers a credit culinary program, but two nonprofits run free kitchen training.

We built this guide school by school in November 2026 from each college’s 2026-27 catalog and tuition pages, the training programs’ own pages and the ACF’s accredited-program list. Colleges publish per-credit rates, so program totals are our arithmetic (credits × tuition and per-credit fees, plus term fees) and say “about”. Lab fees, knives and uniforms are extra. For Frederick, Prince George’s, Wor-Wic and Allegany, Maryland’s other accredited programs, see our guide to culinary schools in Maryland.

Culinary programs in and near Baltimore

School Campus Programs (credential) 2026-27 cost for Baltimore City/County residents ACF status
Howard Community College Columbia (Howard County) Culinary Arts Management AAS (61 credits); Baking and Pastry Arts Management AAS (63 credits); Culinary Arts certificate (33 credits) About $18,894 (culinary AAS); about $19,514 (baking AAS); about $10,221 (certificate) Degrees and certificates accredited through June 30, 2028
Anne Arundel Community College (HCAT) Arnold and Glen Burnie (Anne Arundel County) Culinary Arts AAS and Baking and Pastry Arts AAS (minimum 61 credits each; Fast Track option); Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry Arts certificates (22 credits each) About $21,145 (either AAS); about $7,640 (certificate) AAS options accredited (Exemplary), renewal due June 30, 2027; certificates not accredited
Paul’s Place Culinary Training Program Groundwork Kitchen, South Baltimore Non-credit training; ServSafe and AHLEI credentials Free, with stipends Not applicable
Franciscan Center Culinary Academy 101 W. 23rd St. Non-credit, 13 weeks; ServSafe Food Manager Free Not applicable
Maryland Food Bank FoodWorks Halethorpe (Baltimore County) Non-credit, 12 weeks, CCBC curriculum; ServSafe Not stated; ask FoodWorks Not applicable

Where to train as a cook near Baltimore

Howard Community College, Columbia

Howard’s Center for Hospitality and Culinary Studies is at 10901 Little Patuxent Pkwy. in Columbia. The 2026-27 catalog lists a Culinary Arts Management AAS (61 credits), a Baking and Pastry Arts Management AAS (63 credits) and a 33-credit Culinary Arts certificate. Labs are capped at 12 students, there is an advanced baking lab for pastries and chocolates, and students run the Dragon’s Fire Campus Restaurant Lab. Every associate-degree student does an internship. The ACF accredits the culinary and baking degrees and the cooking and baking certificates through June 30, 2028.

For Baltimore City and County residents, Howard charges the out-of-county rate of $281 a credit plus a $28.74 consolidated fee, or $309.74 a credit. That makes it the cheaper of the two accredited colleges for Baltimore students (our arithmetic). Tuition is capped at 15 credits a term, which can lower the total for students who take more than that; course-material fees of $23 a credit apply to some classes. Howard suits Baltimore-area students who want small lab classes, a campus restaurant and the lowest out-of-county price.

Anne Arundel Community College, Arnold and Glen Burnie

AACC’s Hotel, Culinary Arts and Tourism Institute (HCAT) has locations in Arnold and Glen Burnie; the ACF lists the program at 101 College Pkwy. in Arnold. The 2026-27 catalog lists two degrees, Hotel/Restaurant Management with a Culinary Arts or a Baking and Pastry Arts concentration, each a minimum of 61 credits, and a Fast Track version of each with a minimum of 40 credits (ask AACC who qualifies). There are also 22-credit Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry Arts certificates. Students wear an approved chef uniform in production classes.

The ACF rates both AAS options “Exemplary”, with renewal due June 30, 2027; the certificates are not on its list. Tuition is $135 a credit for Anne Arundel County residents, $317 for other Maryland counties, including Baltimore City and Baltimore County, and $459 out of state, plus $28 a credit in fees and $25 registration each term. AACC advertises a degree for $10,000 or less, but that is the in-county price (about $10,043 by our arithmetic). For a Baltimore resident the same AAS is about $21,145, and about $29,807 out of state. AACC suits anyone who wants an ACF-accredited baking and pastry degree with an “Exemplary” rating, and Anne Arundel County residents above all.

CCBC and Baltimore City Community College

We found no credit culinary program at the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC). Its culinary training is non-credit, run with the Maryland Food Bank as FoodWorks (below), and CCBC is not on the ACF’s list. CCBC’s website blocked our checks, so confirm with CCBC before you rule it out. Baltimore City Community College lists no culinary, baking or hotel degree or certificate, only non-credit hospitality courses.

What culinary school costs in Baltimore

Maryland community colleges give their lowest rate only to residents of their own county. Baltimore has no credit culinary program of its own, so a Baltimore City or County student pays out-of-county tuition at Howard ($281 a credit) or AACC ($317 a credit). With fees, a 61-credit AAS comes to about $18,894 at Howard and about $21,145 at AACC (our arithmetic). A Howard or Anne Arundel County resident pays far less: about $10,537 at Howard and about $10,043 at AACC. Add lab and course-material fees, knives, uniforms and books.

HUD’s FY2026 Fair Market Rent (October 2025 to September 2026) for the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson metro is $1,362 a month for a studio and $1,511 for a one-bedroom. A one-bedroom at that rent would take about 48% of a restaurant cook’s median monthly pay in the metro (our arithmetic). Most students here will need shared housing, family support or steady part-time kitchen work, and the free training programs below cost nothing in tuition. Our culinary school cost guide compares these prices with the rest of the country.

Free and low-cost culinary training in Baltimore

Paul’s Place Culinary Training Program at Groundwork Kitchen

Paul’s Place runs a free culinary training program at Groundwork Kitchen in South Baltimore. Training comes in three progressive tiers, students earn ServSafe and American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute credentials and prepare for the ServSafe Manager exam, and participants receive stipends. Graduates get job placement help and two years of job-retention support. To qualify you must be 18 or older, authorized to work in the U.S., earn less than the Baltimore City area median income and be able to attend in person Monday to Friday, 9:15 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Ask the program where classes meet when you apply.

Franciscan Center Culinary Academy

The Franciscan Center of Baltimore, 101 W. 23rd St., runs a free 13-week course for adults 18 and older (its Dignity Plates Training Academy) that prepares students for entry-level kitchen jobs. Graduates are certified as ServSafe Food Managers and get mentoring and post-graduate support.

Maryland Food Bank FoodWorks

FoodWorks trains students over 12 weeks at the Maryland Food Bank in Halethorpe, using a CCBC curriculum, with classes at its headquarters and in its community kitchen. No experience is needed; applicants attend an information session and an interview, and graduates earn ServSafe certifications and get help finding work. Its pages do not state a cost, so ask before you enrol.

We found no union culinary academy or registered culinary apprenticeship in Baltimore.

Culinary jobs and pay in Baltimore

The metro has about 7,760 restaurant cooks and 1,740 chefs and head cooks. Cooks here earn close to the national median, and chefs slightly less.

Job Jobs in the metro area Median pay U.S. median
Restaurant cooks 7,760 $37,420 $37,390
Bakers 1,170 $36,590 $37,160
Chefs and head cooks 1,740 $59,290 $62,470
Food service managers – $67,320 $69,390

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metropolitan area.

Closed schools you may still see listed

  • Baltimore International College (Inner Harbor), the city’s private culinary and hospitality college founded in 1972, lost its accreditation in August 2011 and became part of Stratford University in 2011-12. Old listings for a “Baltimore culinary institute” usually mean this school.
  • Stratford University, including its Baltimore campus, closed in fall 2022. The Maryland Higher Education Commission holds its transcripts and diplomas.
  • Lincoln Tech, Columbia no longer lists culinary among its programs.

Baltimore culinary school FAQs

Are there culinary schools in Baltimore City?

No college in the city offers a credit culinary program. The nearest ACF-accredited degrees are at Howard Community College in Columbia and Anne Arundel Community College in Arnold and Glen Burnie. In the city, Paul’s Place and the Franciscan Center run free training.

How much is culinary school in Baltimore?

Baltimore City and County residents pay out-of-county rates: about $18,894 for Howard’s 61-credit culinary AAS or about $21,145 for AACC’s in 2026-27 (our arithmetic). The in-county prices of about $10,000 apply only to Howard and Anne Arundel County residents.

Is the Baltimore culinary institute still open?

No. Baltimore International College became part of Stratford University in 2011-12, and Stratford closed in fall 2022. Former students request transcripts through the Maryland Higher Education Commission.

Is there free culinary training in Baltimore?

Yes. Paul’s Place is free, pays stipends and takes adults 18 and older earning under the Baltimore City median income. The Franciscan Center’s 13-week course is free and ends with ServSafe Food Manager certification.

Does CCBC have a culinary program?

We found only non-credit training, FoodWorks, run with the Maryland Food Bank in Halethorpe, and no credit culinary degree. Check with CCBC for its current list.

Can I study baking and pastry near Baltimore?

Yes. AACC offers an ACF-accredited Baking and Pastry Arts AAS and a 22-credit certificate, and Howard offers an ACF-accredited 63-credit Baking and Pastry Arts Management AAS.

Nearby and online options

Frederick, Prince George’s, Wor-Wic and Allegany run Maryland’s other ACF-accredited programs; all are on our Maryland culinary schools page. For pastry, compare baking and pastry programs in Maryland; to study from home, see online culinary programs; and for national prices, read what culinary school costs. Our city guides cover other major US cities.

Sources

What changed on this page

  • November 2026: new city guide.