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Culinary Schools in Michigan (2026-27)

By · Reviewed November 10, 2026 · Editorial policy

15 colleges and career schools in Michigan train cooks, chefs and bakers, 13 of them public community or technical colleges. After grants, students pay between $660 and $29,232 a year on average, with a median of $6,004; the lowest-cost option is Henry Ford College in Dearborn. Of these, 9 teach baking & pastry and 4 offer culinary or restaurant management.

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

The table below lists every Michigan 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.

15Schools
$660Lowest net price/yr
$5,777Median net price/yr
9Baking & 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
Oakland Community CollegeCulinary Studies Institute at the Royal Oak campus: Culinary Arts AAS (ACF-accredited, Exemplary, listed through 12/31/2026) and Baking and Pastry Arts certificate.Royal OakPublic$3,020$5,77712,748Baking & Pastry Culinary Arts
Henry Ford CollegeLowest average net price in the state: $660/yr after grants.DearbornPublic$3,568$6608,643Baking & Pastry Culinary Arts
Macomb Community CollegeCulinary Arts and Pastry Arts AAS (both ACF-accredited through 6/30/2030); teaching restaurant Monarque on Center Campus, Clinton Township. 2026-27 resident rate $113 per billable contact hour.WarrenPublic$3,660$1,61813,876Baking & Pastry Culinary Arts Culinary Management
Kalamazoo Valley Community CollegeReports both culinary arts and baking & pastry completions.KalamazooPublic$4,144$2,9794,997Baking & Pastry Culinary Arts
Grand Rapids Community CollegeReports both culinary arts and baking & pastry completions.Grand RapidsPublic$4,179$8,62110,698Baking & Pastry Culinary Arts
Schoolcraft Community College DistrictReports both culinary arts and baking & pastry completions.LivoniaPublic$4,736$2,2607,511Baking & Pastry Culinary Arts
Monroe County Community CollegeMonroePublic$4,759$4,5861,435Culinary Arts
Lake Michigan CollegeReports culinary/restaurant management as its program in this family.Benton HarborPublic$5,445$6,6802,105Culinary Management
Northwestern Michigan CollegeReports both culinary arts and baking & pastry completions.Traverse CityPublic$5,860$6,2312,813Baking & Pastry Culinary Arts
Mott Community CollegeReports both culinary arts and baking & pastry completions.FlintPublic$6,845$5,6875,251Baking & Pastry Culinary Arts
Michigan Career and Technical InstitutePlainwellPublic$8,549-118Culinary Arts
Baker CollegeCulinary Institute of Michigan campuses in Muskegon and Port Huron: ACF-accredited associate degrees in Culinary Arts, Baking & Pastry, and Food and Beverage Management.MuskegonPrivate$13,000$13,1573,026Baking & Pastry Culinary Arts Culinary Management
Ferris State UniversityReports culinary/restaurant management as its program in this family.Big RapidsPublic$14,778$8,6248,106Culinary Management
Lake Superior State UniversitySault Ste MariePublic$14,890$12,8221,325Culinary Arts
Dorsey College-RosevilleOne-year Culinary Arts diploma at the Roseville campus; ACF-accredited (Exemplary) through 12/31/2028. Dorsey describes itself as a private nonprofit; no separate baking credential found.RosevillePrivate$16,990$29,232437Culinary Arts

Showing 15 of 15 schools

Standout culinary programs in Michigan

Ten Michigan colleges have programs on the American Culinary Federation’s accredited list, and the biggest cluster is in the Detroit area. In metro Detroit, four community colleges run ACF-accredited culinary degrees:Henry Ford College in Dearborn, Schoolcraft College in Livonia, Macomb Community College in Clinton Township and Oakland Community College in Royal Oak. Dorsey College in Roseville adds a one-year ACF-accredited diploma. Washtenaw Community College in Ann Arbor no longer teaches culinary arts (see the closed-schools list below).

Henry Ford College: Dearborn

HFC’s “Culinary Arts AAS Degree” takes a minimum of 71 credits over five semesters, and its “Baking and Pastry Certificate” 30 credits over three semesters, with those courses counting toward the degree. The catalog says the program is accredited by the ACF Education Foundation Accrediting Commission and has earned ACF’s Exemplary Program Award; ACF lists HFC’s culinary and baking associate degrees through June 2030. Its average net price of $660 a year is the lowest of any Michigan school in our data. We could not confirm its 2026-27 tuition. It suits students who want a full degree or a baking credential, with HFC’s Bachelor of Science in Culinary Arts as a next step.

Schoolcraft College: Livonia

Schoolcraft offers a “Professional Culinary Arts AAS Degree”, a “Professional Culinary Arts Certificate” and a skills certificate, plus a “Culinary Baking and Pastry Arts Certificate”. Both require a separate selective admission before core courses. The AAS is ACF-accredited through June 2027. Schoolcraft publishes its own outcomes: job placement of 88% in 2023-24 and 86% in 2024-25, and a three-year graduation rate of 29% for the fall 2022 AAS cohort, so plan for the degree to take longer than two years. For 2026-27, in-district tuition is $143 per credit, plus $29 per credit in fees. It suits students who want published placement numbers and a route to Schoolcraft’s bachelor’s in culinary and dietary operations management.

Macomb Community College: Clinton Township

Macomb’s culinary students cook in Monarque, the teaching restaurant on its Center Campus in Clinton Township (the table shows Warren, its federal address). The “Associate of Applied Science Degree in Culinary Arts” and the “Associate of Applied Science Degree in Pastry Arts” are both ACF-accredited through June 2030; graduates may receive ACF Certified Culinarian or Certified Pastry Culinarian status. A Culinary Management certificate is also offered. County residents pay $113 per billable contact hour in 2026-27. It suits Macomb County residents, especially those interested in pastry.

Oakland Community College: Royal Oak

OCC’s Culinary Studies Institute teaches its “Culinary Arts” AAS and a “Culinary Arts – Baking and Pastry Arts” certificate at the Royal Oak campus. A working internship and the ACF culinary skills practical exam are required to finish the degree. ACF lists the AAS as Exemplary, with ACF accreditation through December 2026; check with OCC whether it has been renewed. We could not confirm OCC’s 2026-27 tuition. Its average net price is $5,777. It suits Oakland County students who want a degree that ends in ACF certification.

Northwestern Michigan College, Great Lakes Culinary Institute: Traverse City

NMC offers an “Associate in Applied Science Degree – Culinary Arts” and certificates including “Baking & Pastry Arts Level II”, “Culinary Maritime Level II” and a new “Beverage Management Level I”. Students cook in Lobdell’s teaching restaurant. The AAS (rated Exemplary) and the baking and Level 1 and 3 certificates are ACF-accredited through June 2029. It suits northern Lower Peninsula students, and Grand Traverse County residents in particular.

Baker College, Culinary Institute of Michigan: Muskegon and Port Huron

The Culinary Institute of Michigan, Baker College’s culinary school, offers an “Associate Degree in Baking & Pastry”, an “Associate Degree in Culinary Arts” and an “Associate Degree in Food and Beverage Management” on its Muskegon and Port Huron campuses. ACF accredits the Muskegon degrees through June 2033; at Port Huron, baking and pastry runs through June 2032 and culinary arts through December 2028. Baker is private, and its average net price is $13,157. It suits West Michigan and Thumb-area students who want a private college with a management degree option.

Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Flint and the Upper Peninsula

In Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids Community College’s Secchia Institute for Culinary Education has an AAS in culinary arts and a baking and pastry arts certificate on ACF’s list through December 2027; we could not reach GRCC’s website to check tuition. In Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo Valley Community College’s AS in Culinary Arts and Sustainable Food Systems is ACF-accredited through June 2031. In Flint, Mott Community College’s Culinary Arts Institute offers associate degrees and certificates in baking and pastry, culinary arts and food service management and runs the Applewood restaurant downtown. In the Upper Peninsula, Northern Michigan University in Marquette gained ACF accreditation for an associate degree in food service operations from July 2026; it is not in our federal data table. In Benton Harbor, Lake Michigan College teaches culinary management.

What culinary school costs in Michigan

Michigan community colleges price by district, so where you live matters. At Schoolcraft, 2026-27 tuition is $143 per credit in district, $206 out of district and $270 out of state, plus $29 per credit in fees and a $44 registration fee each semester. For 60 credits, tuition and per-credit fees come to an estimated $10,320 in district, $14,100 out of district and $17,940 out of state; we could not confirm the AAS credit total, so treat that as a floor, and lab courses can add excess contact-hour charges. Macomb bills $113 per billable contact hour for county residents, $212 out of district and $270 out of state; labs carry more contact hours than credits, so we did not estimate a total. At NMC, culinary courses cost $188 per contact hour for Grand Traverse County residents, $372 for other Michigan residents and $495 out of state, plus a $26 general fee per contact hour. Budget separately for knives and uniforms.

By average net price, what aid recipients actually paid per year school-wide, Henry Ford College is lowest at $660, followed by Macomb at $1,618 and Schoolcraft at $2,260. Dorsey College’s one-year culinary diploma in Roseville, hybrid with morning and evening classes and ACF-accredited through December 2028, publishes $16,990 in tuition, but its average net price is $29,232, the highest in the state; Dorsey advertises a $1,200 culinary grant. See our methodology. Students near the state line can compare Ohio and Indiana.

Culinary jobs and pay in Michigan

Michigan’s median pay is a little below the national figure for cooks, bakers and chefs, and well below it for food service managers.

Job Jobs in Michigan Median pay in Michigan U.S. median
Restaurant cooks 39,100 $36,980 $37,390
Bakers 7,290 $35,830 $37,160
Chefs and head cooks 5,360 $60,070 $62,470
Food service managers 9,240 $60,790 $69,390

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

Studying online from Michigan?

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. Michigan residents can also enroll in the Institute of Culinary Education’s online diplomas ($22,000 to $22,500) and its online associate degrees. We compare every option, with accreditation and outcomes, on our online culinary schools page. For in-person options, see our baking & pastry programs and culinary management programs pages.

Closed or changed schools you may still see listed

  • Washtenaw Community College, Ann Arbor: its Culinary Arts and Management and Baking and Pastry Arts and Management programs were phased out from fall 2021 and stopped accepting new students; the 2026-27 catalog lists them as discontinued.
  • Siena Heights University, Adrian: the university has closed; its website now only offers post-closure services such as transcripts.
  • The Art Institute of Michigan, Novi: closed at the end of 2018, when its owner shut 18 Art Institutes.
  • Lake Superior State University, Sault Ste. Marie: announced a one-year Certificate in Culinary Arts with the Les Cheneaux Culinary School starting in September 2019, but its culinary web page no longer loads. Confirm the program is running before you apply.

Michigan culinary school FAQs

How many culinary schools are in Michigan?

15 Michigan colleges and career schools report culinary programs to the U.S. Department of Education and still list them, 13 of them public. Ten Michigan colleges have programs on the American Culinary Federation's accredited list.

How much does culinary school cost in Michigan?

After grants, students pay between $660 and $29,232 a year on average, with a median of $6,004. For 2026-27, Schoolcraft College charges in-district students $143 per credit plus $29 in per-credit fees, an estimated $10,320 for 60 credits; out-of-district students pay more at Schoolcraft, Macomb and Northwestern Michigan College.

What is the cheapest culinary school in Michigan?

Henry Ford College in Dearborn has the lowest average net price at $660 a year. The lowest 2026-27 rate we confirmed is Macomb Community College's $113 per billable contact hour for Macomb County residents.

Which Michigan schools offer baking and pastry programs?

Henry Ford College, Macomb Community College, Schoolcraft College, Oakland Community College, Northwestern Michigan College, Grand Rapids Community College, Mott Community College and Baker College's Culinary Institute of Michigan all offer baking and pastry certificates or degrees. Macomb's Pastry Arts AAS and Baker's Associate Degree in Baking & Pastry are ACF-accredited.

Where can I go to culinary school in the Detroit area?

Henry Ford College in Dearborn, Schoolcraft College in Livonia, Macomb Community College in Clinton Township and Oakland Community College in Royal Oak all run ACF-accredited culinary degrees, and Dorsey College in Roseville offers a one-year culinary diploma. Oakland's ACF accreditation is listed through December 2026.

Which Michigan culinary programs are ACF-accredited?

ACF's list includes Henry Ford, Schoolcraft, Macomb, Oakland (through December 2026), Dorsey College in Roseville, Northwestern Michigan College, Grand Rapids Community College, Kalamazoo Valley Community College, Baker College's Culinary Institute of Michigan and Northern Michigan University.

Does Washtenaw Community College still have a culinary program?

No. Washtenaw phased out its culinary arts and baking and pastry programs from fall 2021 and lists them as discontinued in its 2026-27 catalog. The nearest Detroit-area options are Schoolcraft and Henry Ford College.

Culinary schools in nearby states

Culinary Schools inOhio→Culinary Schools inIndiana→Culinary Schools inWisconsin→Culinary Schools inIllinois→

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.