Culinary school in Wisconsin

34 culinary programs with costs, results and funding that can make them free

13 schools offer these culinary arts programs, and Wisconsin has approved every one for workforce funding. Each shows its price if you pay yourself and how past students did.

Chefs and head cooks run the daily food preparation in restaurants and other places that serve food. Most start with a high school diploma and kitchen experience; some go through a culinary program at a community college, technical school or culinary school, and others learn in an apprenticeship.¹

In Wisconsin, 16 of the 34 programs take students without a high school diploma, 16 ask for a diploma or equivalent and 2 ask for earlier courses first.

By kind, the 34 programs here are culinary arts certificate or diploma (13 programs), culinary arts (associate degree, 10 programs), baking and pastry certificate or diploma (5 programs), baking and pastry (associate degree, 3 programs), and 3 more of 2 other kinds.

See the 34 programs

How much does culinary school cost in Wisconsin?

Certificates and short courses (20 programs): $4,350 to $5,684most of them, usually 32 weeks long
Two-year degrees (13 programs): $9,544 to $11,710most of them, usually 64 to 70 weeks long

What you pay yourself for the whole program, as the schools report it. "Most" is the middle half of the programs with a price.

In the typical program

Finished the program: 49%
Working 6 months later: 73%
Earned a year, estimated: about $25,100
Length: 32 to 64 weeks

Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Only programs approved for workforce funding are listed; other schools in Wisconsin may also offer culinary school. How these figures are made

Is there free culinary school in Wisconsin?

Yes, if you qualify. WIOA (public workforce funding) can pay for any program on this page, in full or in part, depending on local limits.²³⁴In program year 2024 it paid toward the training of at least 6 people at 2 of the 34 programs here.
Ask an American Job Center whether you qualify, or call 1-877-872-5627.⁵ Before funding training, the center goes through an assessment and a career plan with you.⁴
Or pay yourself. Certificates and short courses here mostly cost $4,350 to $5,684.Two-year degrees here mostly cost $9,544 to $11,710.

Who qualifies, and other ways to pay: financial aid, grants and the GI Bill

How to pay for culinary school in Wisconsin

WIOA funding can pay for culinary school in Wisconsin

Every program on this page is approved for it. Whether you qualify, how much your local area pays and how to apply are on our page Does WIOA pay for job training?

Financial aid and grants for culinary school

Most students can get federal student aid for college, career school or trade school. A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, usually doesn't have to be repaid. Ask the school whether its program qualifies.⁶⁷

GI Bill for culinary school

Veterans, service members and qualified dependents can use GI Bill benefits for non-college training programs.⁸

The program list does not show which programs accept these. Ask the school.

Quick facts: Culinary school in Wisconsin

programs with a price cost under $5,000: 10 of 34
lowest typical price among the states with enough programs to compare: 13th of 28
other states where the typical program's graduates earned less: 8 of 15
culinary programs here, against the typical state's 8: 34 vs 8

State comparisons use the same figures as the culinary school by state table: the middle program of each state, and only states with three or more schools for prices. Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025).

Culinary school in Milwaukee, Kenosha, Appleton and other Wisconsin cities

Choosing an area filters the program list above. 7 more programs are in 4 other areas, 4 in smaller cities and towns.

Other training in Wisconsin

How culinary school compares with the rest of food and hospitality: Culinary and hospitality programs in Wisconsin

Where the Wisconsin culinary arts program numbers come from

Which Wisconsin culinary arts programs are on this list?

These are the culinary arts programs Wisconsin approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), as reported to the US Department of Labor for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).⁹ The list here covers programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what Wisconsin offers.

How the prices and results of Wisconsin culinary arts programs are measured

Prices are tuition and required fees for someone paying without workforce funding, as the school reported them; check the current price with the school. Results describe students who left each program in recent years, so they are no guarantee, and the yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. A program without a "Trained with WIOA funding" line may still take WIOA students. Where a field was left empty or withheld, the page says "Not reported", and "Left out" where a figure was filed but failed one of our checks; nothing is estimated to fill a gap. Where the numbers come from explains each figure in full.

Sources for the facts about culinary school in Wisconsin

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Culinary school in Wisconsin

How much does culinary school cost in Wisconsin?

Is there free culinary school in Wisconsin?

All 34 culinary programs in Wisconsin approved for WIOA funding

Culinary Arts

Baking & Pastry Arts

Culinary Arts

Culinary Arts

Culinary Assistant

Culinary Arts

Culinary Arts

Food Service Production

Baking and Decorative Arts

Culinary Arts

Baking and Pastry Production

Culinary Assistant

Baking Production

Baking and Pastry Management

Culinary Technical Diploma

Culinary Production Specialist

Culinary Arts

Culinary & Baking Basics Technical Diploma

Culinary Assistant

Culinary Arts

Culinary Production Specialist

Culinary Arts

Baking & Pastry Management

Food Service Assistant

Food Service Production

Baking and Pastry Arts

Baking and Pastry Specialist

Basic Cooking Skills

Culinary Arts

Culinary Production Specialist

Culinary Assistant

Food Service Assistant

Culinary Assistant

Culinary Arts

How to pay for culinary school in Wisconsin

WIOA funding can pay for culinary school in Wisconsin

Financial aid and grants for culinary school

GI Bill for culinary school

Quick facts: Culinary school in Wisconsin

Culinary school in Milwaukee, Kenosha, Appleton and other Wisconsin cities

Other training in Wisconsin

Where the Wisconsin culinary arts program numbers come from

Which Wisconsin culinary arts programs are on this list?

How the prices and results of Wisconsin culinary arts programs are measured

Sources for the facts about culinary school in Wisconsin