5 colleges and career schools in Hawaii train cooks, chefs and bakers, all of them public community colleges in the University of Hawaiʻi system. After grants, students pay between $5,137 and $10,436 a year on average, with a median of $8,061; the lowest-cost option is Leeward Community College in Pearl City. Of these, 2 teach baking & pastry and one offers culinary or restaurant management.
The table below lists every Hawaii 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii Community College | Hilo | Public | $3,204 | $8,942 | 1,546 | Culinary Arts |
| Leeward Community CollegeLowest average net price in the state: $5,137/yr after grants. | Pearl City | Public | $3,214 | $5,137 | 3,438 | Culinary Arts |
| Kauai Community College | Lihue | Public | $3,252 | $10,436 | 716 | Culinary Arts |
| Kapiolani Community CollegeLargest enrollment on this list (3,910 students). | Honolulu | Public | $3,284 | $5,202 | 3,910 | Baking & Pastry Culinary Arts Culinary Management |
| University of Hawaii Maui College | Kahului | Public | $3,284 | $8,061 | 1,700 | Baking & Pastry Culinary Arts |
Showing 5 of 5 schools
Standout culinary programs in Hawaii
Oʻahu, Maui, the Big Island and Kauaʻi each have a culinary program, and four of the five are on the American Culinary Federation’s accredited list with a current end date. Two of them, on Oʻahu and Maui, also offer full baking and pastry degrees.
Kapiʻolani Community College: Honolulu (Diamond Head)
Kapiʻolani’s Culinary Institute of the Pacific offers an “Associate in Science – Culinary Arts” with three specializations: Culinary Arts (61-63 credits), Pastry Arts (60-62 credits) and Institutional Food Service Management (61-62 credits). Shorter options include a three-semester Certificate of Achievement in Culinary Arts (39-44 credits) and Certificates of Competence in Culinary Arts (12 credits) and Pastry Arts (16 credits). An 18-credit Advanced Professional Certificate serves graduates and students continuing to the BAS in Culinary Management at UH–West Oʻahu. Its culinary and patisserie associate degrees and the culinary certificate hold ACF accreditation with Exemplary status through June 2031. Resident tuition for the culinary AS comes to an estimated $7,991 to $8,253. It suits Oʻahu students who want the widest choice of programs, including pastry and food service management.
University of Hawaiʻi Maui College: Kahului
UH Maui College offers an Associate in Applied Science with a Culinary Arts specialization or a 77-credit Baking & Pastry specialization, plus a 31-credit Certificate of Achievement in Culinary Arts and Certificates of Competence in Culinary Arts (19 credits) and Pastry Cook (20 credits). Both associate degrees are ACF-accredited with Exemplary status through June 2031 (the college’s own page still shows an older 2024 date). The college estimates resident tuition at $8,810.50 for the two-year culinary degree and $10,125.00 for the baking degree, plus about $1,600 in books and $585 for uniforms, knives and supplies. Average net price is $8,061. It suits Maui students and anyone in the state who wants a dedicated baking degree.
Leeward Community College: Pearl City
Leeward’s “AS Degree in Culinary Arts” is ACF-accredited through June 2027. We could not open the college’s program pages, so confirm current awards and credits with Leeward. Its $5,137 average net price is the lowest in the state. It suits students in west and central Oʻahu.
Hawaiʻi Community College: Hilo and Kona
Hawaiʻi CC offers an Associate in Applied Science and a Certificate of Achievement in culinary arts at both its Hilo and Kona (Pālamanu) campuses; it has no baking credential. The college estimated a fall 2025 first-semester cost of $3,264 for a resident East Hawaiʻi student taking 18 credits, including a $300 knife set and $230 in uniforms. The college says its program has been ACF-accredited since July 2005, but ACF’s list shows the associate degree with “Extended” status and an end date of June 30, 2024, so ask the college about its current status. It suits Big Island students on either side of the island.
Kauaʻi Community College: Līhuʻe
Kauaʻi CC offers an “AAS Degree in Culinary Arts”, a 32-credit Advanced Culinary Arts Certificate of Achievement (an estimated $4,192 in resident tuition) and an entry-level Certificate of Competence; coursework includes a five-credit baking fundamentals course. The AAS is ACF-accredited through June 2027. Average net price is $10,436, the highest in the state. It suits Kauaʻi residents who want to train without leaving the island.
What culinary school costs in Hawaii
All University of Hawaiʻi community colleges charge the same 2026-27 tuition: $131 per credit for residents and $345 for nonresidents, unchanged since 2022-23, so there is no district-based discount to look for. UH Maui College lists a $196.50 rate for Pacific Islanders and Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) students. On top of tuition, the Board of Regents allows a culinary professional fee of up to $500 a semester; at UH Maui College it is $15 per credit, up to $180. By our arithmetic, Kapiʻolani’s 60-62-credit pastry AS costs an estimated $7,860 to $8,122 for residents, and the culinary AS $21,045 to $21,735 for nonresidents.
By average net price, what aid recipients actually paid per year school-wide, Leeward ($5,137) and Kapiʻolani ($5,202) cost least, and Kauaʻi ($10,436) most. Our methodology page explains how we use these figures. Students considering the mainland can compare programs in California and Washington.
Culinary jobs and pay in Hawaii
Hawaii’s median pay is well above the national figure for every culinary job in the table, though living costs in the islands are also high.
| Job | Jobs in Hawaii | Median pay in Hawaii | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Restaurant cooks | 11,090 | $45,420 | $37,390 |
| Bakers | 1,580 | $46,710 | $37,160 |
| Chefs and head cooks | 1,240 | $77,360 | $62,470 |
| Food service managers | 1,230 | $87,800 | $69,390 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Studying online from Hawaii?
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. Hawaii residents can also enroll in the Institute of Culinary Education’s online diplomas ($22,000 to $22,500). We compare every option, with accreditation and outcomes, on our online culinary schools page. Baking students can compare in-person options on our baking & pastry programs page, and management programs are on our culinary management page.
Hawaii culinary school FAQs
How many culinary schools are in Hawaii?
Five, all University of Hawaii community colleges: Kapiolani in Honolulu, Leeward in Pearl City, UH Maui College in Kahului, Hawaii Community College in Hilo and Kona, and Kauai Community College in Lihue.
How much does culinary school cost in Hawaii?
After grants, students pay between $5,137 and $10,436 a year on average, with a median of $8,061. Tuition for 2026-27 is $131 per credit for residents at every UH community college; UH Maui College estimates its two-year culinary degree at $8,810.50 in resident tuition, plus books, uniforms and knives.
What is the cheapest culinary school in Hawaii?
Tuition is the same at all five colleges, so the difference is in aid and fees. Leeward Community College has the lowest average net price at $5,137 a year, followed by Kapiolani at $5,202.
Can I study baking and pastry in Hawaii?
Yes. Kapiolani Community College offers an Associate in Science in Culinary Arts with a Pastry Arts specialization and a 16-credit Pastry Arts certificate, and UH Maui College offers a 77-credit Baking & Pastry associate degree and a Pastry Cook certificate. Both colleges' degrees are ACF-accredited.
Which Hawaii culinary programs are ACF-accredited?
Kapiolani and UH Maui College hold ACF accreditation with Exemplary status through June 2031, and Leeward and Kauai through June 2027. Hawaii Community College is listed by the ACF with Extended status and an end date of June 30, 2024.
How much do nonresidents pay for culinary school in Hawaii?
Nonresidents pay $345 per credit at the UH community colleges in 2026-27, an estimated $21,045 to $21,735 for Kapiolani's culinary associate degree. UH Maui College lists a lower $196.50 rate for Pacific Islanders and Western Undergraduate Exchange students.
Culinary schools in nearby states
Sources
- American Culinary Federation, Accredited Postsecondary Programs, retrieved November 9, 2026
- University of Hawaiʻi, Tuition schedules 2022-23 to 2026-27, retrieved November 9, 2026
- Kapiʻolani Community College, Culinary Arts, retrieved November 9, 2026
- University of Hawaiʻi Maui College, Culinary Arts, retrieved November 9, 2026
- University of Hawaiʻi Maui College, Tuition, retrieved November 9, 2026
- Hawaiʻi Community College, Culinary Arts, retrieved November 9, 2026
- Hawaiʻi Community College, Culinary Arts estimated cost of attendance (East Hawaiʻi), retrieved November 9, 2026
- Kauaʻi Community College, Culinary Arts, retrieved November 9, 2026
- Kauaʻi Community College, Tuition and Fees, 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