Index of Culinary Art Colleges in Wisconsin

Cheese pie. Cheese pizza. Cheese bread. Cheese and wine. The culinary possibilities offered by cheese alone seems endless. But Wisconsin has more to offer aspiring chefs than its vast supply of cheeses – not to mention its traditional bratwurst, chocolate and kringle.

Culinary programs across the state can teach students how to take advantage of the home-turf cuisine, as well as to branch out into other traditional foods and to experiment with their own creations.

Getting into culinary school

Fortunately, the easiest part of your culinary education and career may well be getting into a program. Most schools have an open admission process, and students are only required to have a high-school diploma or GED, in addition to some standard minimum academic requirements. If a program is more selective, students may be asked to pass an assessment of basic kitchen knowledge and techniques. More competitive programs will also consider work experience or training including attendance at seminars or workshops in evaluating an admissions application.

Your culinary training will become the foundation for all your future career endeavors, so choosing a quality program is important. One of the key components of any culinary program is its kitchen, and you should look for one that has a fully-equipped kitchen that is run by students and is open to the public. Also look for programs with added perks like a student-run restaurant or public dinner nights. The hands-on experience will prove invaluable when you start your job search. A quality program should also have quality instructors: look for faculty that are experienced in the field. Finally, job-placement services and opportunities for internships or apprenticeships should be a part of any quality culinary-training program.

Options for finishing a degree

A number of options are available to quickly complete a degree or certificate program. Culinary-degree programs can typically be finished in about half the time of a traditional degree – in about two years or less. Accelerated tracks are available for certificate or diploma programs, which can be completed in just over a year or less. Working adults have even more options with night and weekend classes, summer sessions and online programs.

Online programs are ubiquitous in today’s education market, and there are virtual options for completing your culinary degree, as well. Video instruction is available through some programs, allowing you to get hands-on training right in your own kitchen. If you already have some kitchen experience in a school lab, other options are available to complement the previous course work. Hospitality management programs online are common, and many more schools offer them exclusively online.

Possibilities in the job market

Don’t expect high demand in the industry over the next 10 years: The National Restaurant Association predicts a rise in jobs of only about 8 percent by 2019. So it will be up to you to stay competitive when you enter the job market. Start networking early in your career – even while you’re still in school – to make contacts throughout the industry and to get access to industry research, jobs and more. Join professional networks such as the Wisconsin Restaurant Association and attend local food and wine festivals. At the festivals, you can also enter cooking competitions and start building your culinary reputation.

Graduates are likely to find a job they love in any of the thousands of restaurants, resorts, schools, and hotels in Wisconsin. Typical food industry salaries in Wisconsin range according to position, city, and experience. A Registered Dietitian earns an average annual salary of $57,060; a first-line supervisor will earn about $33,040; a head chef will earn approximately $44,530; and a restaurant cook earns an average salary of around $26,480.

2019 wage data sourced from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Current wage conditions in your area may vary.

Campus-based programs

Blackhawk Technical College
6004 S. County Road G
Janesville, WI 53546-9458
608-758-6900
blackhawk.edu
Culinary Arts
AQIP Accredited

Chippewa Valley Technical College
20 W. Clairemont Ave.
Eau Claire, WI 54701
715-833-6200
cvtc.edu
Hotel and Restaurant Management
NCACS Accredited

Fox Valley Technical College
1825 N. Bluemound Drive
Appleton, WI 54912-2277
920-735-5600
fvtc.edu
Culinary Arts
Food Service Production
Hotel and Restaurant Management
AQIP Accredited

Gateway Technical College
3520 30th Ave.
Kenosha WI 53144
262-564-2200
gtc.edu
Hotel Hospitality Management
HLC Accredited

Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College
13466 W. Trepania Road
Hayward, WI 54843
715-634-4790
lco.edu
Hospitality and Customer Service
HLC Accredited

Lakeland University
W3718 South Drive
Plymouth, WI 53073-4878
800-569-2166
lakeland.edu
Hospitality Management (evening program)
HLC Accredited

Madison Area Technical College
3550 Anderson St.
Madison, WI 53704
608-246-6100
madisoncollege.edu
Baking/Pastry Arts
Culinary Arts
Food Service Production
Home Baking
Hotel and Restaurant Management
HLC Accredited

Milwaukee Area Technical College
700 W. State St.
Milwaukee, WI 53233
414-297-6282
matc.edu
Culinary Arts
Hotel/Restaurant Management
HLC Accredited

Moraine Park Technical College
700 Gould St.
Beaver Dam, WI
920-887-1101
morainepark.edu
Artisan Baking
Culinary Arts
Culinary Basics
Deli/Bakery
Food Production
Food Service Production
Hotel/Hospitality Management
HLC Accredited

Northeast Wisconsin Technical College
2740 W. Mason St.
Green Bay, WI 54307-9042
920-498-5400
nwtc.edu
Hotel and Restaurant Management
HLC Accredited

Southwest Wisconsin Technical College
1800 Bronson Blvd.
Fennimore, WI 53809
800-362-3322
swtc.edu
Culinary Management
Culinary Specialist
HLC Accredited

Waukesha County Technical College
800 Main St.
Pewaukee, WI 53072
262-691-5566
wctc.edu
Baking and Pastry
Meeting and Event Planning
Culinary Management
Food Service Production
Hotel and Restaurant Management
HLC Accredited

Western Technical College
400 Seventh St. North
La Crosse, WI 54601
608-785-9200
westerntc.edu
Culinary Management
HLC Accredited

Online-based programs

American Culinary Federation
The ACF has over 200 chapters in the United States; its main campus is located in Florida
180 Center Place Way
St. Augustine, FL
904-824-4468
www.acfchefs.org
Continuing Education
Chef Certification
Chef Educators
Food Safety Certification
ACFEFAC Accredited

The Art Institutes of Pittsburgh – Online Division
The Ai has over 40 campus locations across North America, plus this online campus
420 Blvd of the Allies
Pittsburgh, PA
412-291-6200
www.aionline.edu
Hotel and Restaurant Management
Culinary Management
MSCHE Accredited

Ashworth College
430 Technology Pkwy
Norcross, GA
770-729-9400
www.ashworthcolleg.edu
Professional Gourmet Cooking and Catering
Hotel and Restaurant Management
DETC Accredited

DeVry University
This University has 90 campus locations in 26 different states
One Tower Lane
Oakbrook Terrace, IL
1-866-338-7934
www.devry.edu
Hospitality Management
HLC Accredited

eCornell
eCornell is an online program and subsidiary of Cornell University, located in New York
950 Danby Road, Suite 150
Ithaca, NY
607-330-3200
www.ecornell.com
Leadership and Strategic Management
Project Leadership and Systems Design
Financial Management
Management Essentials
Human Resources Management
Hospitality and Foodservice Management
Certificate in plant-based nutrition
HRCI and PMI Approved

Johnson and Wales University
JWU has campuses in Providence, Charlotte, and North Miami; its largest campus is in Rhode Island
8 Abbott Park Place, Providence, RI 02903
1-800-DIAL-JWU
www.jwu.edu
Baking & Pastry Arts and Food Service Management
Culinary Arts and Food Service Management
NEASC Accredited

New England Culinary Institute
NECI has two campuses in Vermont; its main campus is in Montpelier
56 College Street
Montpelier, VT 05602
877-223-6324
www.neci.edu
Hospitality and Restaurant Management
ACCSC Accredited

Penn Foster Career School
925 Oak Street
Scranton, PA 18515
570-343-9635
www.pennfoster.edu
Hotel and Restaurant Management
Catering
DETC & CHEA Accredited

Sullivan University
SU has three campuses in Louisville, Lexington and Fort Knox. The main campus for its Global e-Learning program is located in Louisville
2100 Gardiner Lane
Louisville, Kentucky 40205
502-413-8830
1-866-755-7887
www.sullivan.edu
Beverage Management
CCSACS & ACF Accredited

University of Phoenix
This University has campuses in over 40 states, and two locations in Canada
4602 East Elwood Street
Phoenix, AZ
480-968-0587
www.phoenix.edu
Hospitality, Travel and Tourism
HLC Accredited