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Culinary & pastry schools in Michigan

Michigan has 16 accredited campuses awarding culinary credentials. If you finish and work as a chef in Michigan, expect to start around $42,170–$48,970 and reach a median of $60,070 with experience; the top quarter earn $74,090 or more (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025, Michigan). Graduates of these Michigan programs — every graduate, whatever job they took — earned a median of $26,590 in their first year, against $24,208 nationally; that is the figure used to rank campuses below.

What chefs and head cooks earn in Michigan

$42,170starting (10th percentile)
$48,970early career (25th)
$60,070median, all experience
$74,090experienced (75th)
$82,000top earners (90th)

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; 5,360 employed in Michigan. National median: $62,470.

Campuses in Michigan, ranked by what their graduates earned

16campuses in Michigan
501credentials awarded / yr
$26,590median earnings, yr 1 (Michigan)
$24,208median earnings, yr 1 (U.S.)

Cities: Ann ArborAuburn HillsBenton HarborBig RapidsDearbornFlintGrand RapidsKalamazooLivoniaMonroeOwossoPlainwellRosevilleSault Ste MarieTraverse CityWarren

CampusCityTypeGrads / yrEarnings, yr 1Program debtCompletionCost / yr
Schoolcraft Community College District Livonia Public 62 $28,507 $16,325 not reported not reported
Baker College Owosso non-profit 37 $28,205 $12,000 not reported not reported
Oakland Community College Auburn Hills Public 17 $27,780 not reported 21% not reported
Northwestern Michigan College Traverse City Public 25 $26,743 $11,000 not reported not reported
Grand Rapids Community College Grand Rapids Public 61 $26,590 $7,705 21% not reported
Kalamazoo Valley Community College Kalamazoo Public 19 $25,539 $11,250 28% not reported
Dorsey College-Roseville Roseville for-profit 44 $20,049 $13,000 35% not reported
Macomb Community College Warren Public 51 $19,566 not reported 18% not reported
Michigan Career and Technical Institute Plainwell Public 29 $17,375 not reported 38% not reported
Henry Ford College Dearborn Public 120 not reported $12,283 not reported not reported
Mott Community College Flint Public 19 not reported not reported 32% not reported
Ferris State University Big Rapids Public 8 not reported $20,500 not reported not reported
Lake Superior State University Sault Ste Marie Public 5 not reported not reported not reported not reported
Monroe County Community College Monroe Public 2 not reported not reported 34% not reported
Lake Michigan College Benton Harbor Public 1 not reported not reported 22% not reported
Washtenaw Community College Ann Arbor Public 1 not reported not reported 33% not reported

Earnings are median wages and self-employment income reported to the IRS (W-2 and Schedule SE) for graduates who received federal aid and were working and not enrolled, measured in the calendar year after finishing. They are pay only: health insurance, retirement contributions and other benefits are not included.

Ranked by median earnings of this program's graduates one year after completion (College Scorecard field-of-study, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2022-23 Completions survey; College Scorecard June 2026; Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs (DAPIP), September 2026); campuses without a reported figure follow, by credentials awarded. "Program debt" is the median federal loan debt for graduates of this program at this campus. Completion is the campus-wide 150%-of-time rate. "Not reported" means the federal file suppresses the value for privacy.

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