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Culinary Schools in Kentucky (2026-27)

By · Reviewed November 10, 2026 · Editorial policy

7 colleges and career schools in Kentucky train cooks, chefs and bakers, 6 of them public community or technical colleges. After grants, students pay between $3,537 and $25,532 a year on average, with a median of $5,353; the lowest-cost option is Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College in Bowling Green. Of these, 6 teach baking & pastry and 7 offer culinary or restaurant management.

Explore Kentucky: Baking & pastry schools in Kentucky · Culinary management programs in Kentucky · Online culinary programs open to Kentucky residents · All states

The table below lists every Kentucky 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.

7Schools
$3,537Lowest net price/yr
$5,353Median net price/yr
6Baking & pastry programs
Tuition = published annual price. Net price = average paid after grants (federal aid recipients). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard, retrieved November 2026.
School City Type Tuition/yr Net price/yr Enrollment Programs
Ashland Community and Technical CollegeAshlandPublic$4,728$5,7171,631Baking & Pastry Culinary Arts Culinary Management
Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical CollegeLowest average net price in the state: $3,537/yr after grants. Offers the Culinary Arts AAS only in the Food and Beverage Management track, plus culinary certificates.Bowling GreenPublic$4,728$3,5373,308Culinary Arts Culinary Management
Elizabethtown Community and Technical CollegeElizabethtownPublic$4,728$5,1434,088Baking & Pastry Culinary Arts Culinary Management
West Kentucky Community and Technical CollegePaducahPublic$4,728$5,3532,851Baking & Pastry Culinary Arts Culinary Management
Somerset Community CollegeSomersetPublic$4,728$4,3984,166Baking & Pastry Culinary Arts Culinary Management
Jefferson Community and Technical CollegeLargest enrollment on this list (7,744 students).LouisvillePublic$4,808$6,3767,744Baking & Pastry Culinary Arts Culinary Management
Sullivan UniversityFor-profit; College of Hospitality Studies in Louisville (also Lexington). Culinary Arts A.S. listed at $52,650 for 90 credits ($585/credit), plus a $37.50/credit Academic Support Fee from Fall 2026.LouisvilleFor-profit$15,480$25,5322,026Baking & Pastry Culinary Arts Culinary Management

Showing 7 of 7 schools

Standout culinary programs in Kentucky

No Kentucky program is on the American Culinary Federation’s accredited list, which has no Kentucky section. The six public colleges belong to the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) and share one culinary curriculum, though each offers a different set of awards.

Jefferson Community and Technical College (Louisville)

JCTC, at 109 East Broadway downtown, offers three “Culinary Arts AAS” tracks (Culinary Arts, Catering and Personal Chef, and Food and Beverage Management) plus certificates including a “Baking Certificate”, “Farm to Table” and “Fundamentals of Culinary Arts”. The degree takes two years full time. At the statewide rate, a 60- to 67-credit AAS is an estimated $12,360 to $13,802 for residents. It suits Louisville students who want a low-cost public degree.

Sullivan University, College of Hospitality Studies (Louisville and Lexington)

Sullivan, a private university, offers an “A.S. Culinary Arts” (18 to 21 months, with externships), a “Professional Cook Diploma” and a “Culinary Arts Certificate” (6 to 9 months) in Louisville and at its Lexington location, plus an “A.S. Baking & Pastry Arts” and a “Professional Baker Diploma”. Its current tuition guide, effective from spring 2025 (no separate 2026-27 schedule has been published), prices programs at $585 per credit: $52,650 for the culinary or baking A.S., $31,590 for either diploma and $15,210 for the certificate. Uniforms and lab meals are included. A $37.50-per-credit Academic Support Fee applies from fall 2026, bringing the culinary A.S. to an estimated $56,025. It suits students who want a private, faster-paced program and the only baking & pastry degree in the state.

Somerset Community College (Somerset)

Somerset publishes its credit totals: a 66-credit “Culinary Arts Degree”, 68-credit Food and Beverage Management and Catering and Personal Chef degrees, a 53-credit Culinary Arts diploma, and a 16-credit “Professional Baking and Pastry Arts” certificate with advanced pastry and confection courses. The culinary degree is an estimated $13,596 for residents and the pastry certificate $3,296. It suits south-central Kentucky students, especially those who want pastry training at public prices.

Elsewhere, Elizabethtown Community and Technical College has the widest award list (three AAS tracks, three diplomas and ten certificates, including Baking). West Kentucky in Paducah and Ashland in northeast Kentucky offer full culinary degrees and a baking certificate, while Southcentral in Bowling Green offers only the Food and Beverage Management track. In Lexington, Sullivan is the only confirmed option; we found no program in Northern Kentucky.

What culinary school costs in Kentucky

KCTCS sets one 2026-27 rate for all its colleges: $198 per credit for residents and $270 for nonresidents, plus an $8-per-credit mandatory fee, so $206 and $278 per credit in total. There is no district or county discount: every Kentucky resident pays the same rate at every KCTCS college. A 60- to 67-credit Culinary Arts AAS comes to an estimated $12,360 to $13,802 for residents and $16,680 to $18,626 for nonresidents, before uniforms and knives. Because the rate is the same everywhere, the cheapest route is the shortest credential: a 12-credit Baking certificate is an estimated $2,472 and the 16-credit Fundamentals of Culinary Arts certificate $3,296.

By average net price, what aid recipients actually paid per year school-wide, Southcentral is lowest at $3,537 and Jefferson highest among the public colleges at $6,376; Sullivan averages $25,532. See our methodology. Compare baking options on our baking & pastry programs page and management tracks on our culinary management page. Border students can also see Tennessee.

Culinary jobs and pay in Kentucky

Kentucky pays cooks, bakers and chefs below the national median, and food service managers slightly above it.

Job Jobs in Kentucky Median pay in Kentucky U.S. median
Restaurant cooks 13,510 $34,640 $37,390
Bakers 1,630 $33,890 $37,160
Chefs and head cooks 1,790 $48,070 $62,470
Food service managers 1,680 $70,410 $69,390

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

Studying online from Kentucky?

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 Kentucky residents. We compare every option, with accreditation and outcomes, on our online culinary schools page.

Closed or changed schools you may still see listed

  • Maysville Community and Technical College Culinary Arts Institute closed effective June 30, 2025, because of low enrollment (announced November 27, 2024).
  • Madisonville Community College lists no culinary program on its website as of November 2026, so we have removed it.
  • Sullivan University’s National Center for Hospitality Studies, the name older guides use, is now the College of Hospitality Studies.

Kentucky culinary school FAQs

How many culinary schools are in Kentucky?

Seven: six public KCTCS colleges (Ashland, Elizabethtown, Jefferson, Somerset, Southcentral and West Kentucky) and private Sullivan University in Louisville and Lexington. Maysville's Culinary Arts Institute closed in June 2025.

How much does culinary school cost in Kentucky?

After grants, students pay between $3,537 and $25,532 a year on average, with a median of $5,353. For 2026-27, KCTCS charges residents $206 per credit including the mandatory fee, so a Culinary Arts AAS is an estimated $12,360 to $13,802; Sullivan's culinary A.S. is listed at $52,650 plus a new academic support fee.

What is the cheapest culinary school in Kentucky?

Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College in Bowling Green has the lowest average net price at $3,537 a year. Because every KCTCS college charges the same rate, the cheapest credential is a short certificate, such as the 12-credit Baking certificate at an estimated $2,472.

Which Kentucky schools offer baking and pastry programs?

Sullivan University offers an A.S. in Baking & Pastry Arts and a Professional Baker Diploma. Ashland, Elizabethtown, Jefferson, Somerset and West Kentucky community and technical colleges offer a Baking certificate, and Somerset also has a 16-credit Professional Baking and Pastry Arts certificate.

Are any Kentucky culinary programs ACF-accredited?

No. The American Culinary Federation's accredited program list has no Kentucky entries. Sullivan University says its faculty hold ACF credentials, which is not the same as program accreditation.

How much does Sullivan University's culinary program cost?

Sullivan's current tuition guide lists the Culinary Arts A.S. at $52,650 (90 credits at $585), the Professional Cook Diploma at $31,590 and the Culinary Arts Certificate at $15,210, with uniforms and lab meals included. A $37.50-per-credit Academic Support Fee applies from fall 2026, bringing the A.S. to an estimated $56,025.

Culinary schools in nearby states

Culinary Schools inTennessee→Culinary Schools inOhio→Culinary Schools inIndiana→Culinary Schools inWest Virginia→

How we build these lists

Sources

What changed on this page

  • November 2026: rebuilt with 2026-27 tuition, verified standout programs, state pay data and closed-school notes.