Culinary school in Tennessee

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

6 schools offer these culinary arts programs, and Tennessee 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 Tennessee, 1 of the 6 programs takes students without a high school diploma and 5 ask for a diploma or equivalent.

By kind, the 6 programs here are culinary arts certificate or diploma (4 programs) and culinary arts (associate degree, 2 programs).

See the 6 programs

How much does culinary school cost in Tennessee?

$5,881 to $15,549 is what most culinary programs in Tennessee cost if you pay yourself

That is the middle half of the 6 programs with a price. All of them: $4,510 to $37,800

In the typical program

Finished the program: Not enough data; 4 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Working 6 months later: Not enough data; 3 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Earned a year, estimated: Not enough data; 3 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Length: 30 to 33 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 Tennessee may also offer culinary school. How these figures are made

Is there free culinary school in Tennessee?

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.²³⁴
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. Most culinary arts programs in Tennessee cost $5,881 to $15,549. Prices on this page run from $4,510 to $37,800.

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

All 6 culinary programs in Tennessee approved for WIOA funding

6 programs

Culinary arts (associate degree)In personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Culinary Arts Degree Program
Pellissippi State Community College
Knoxville
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
Pellissippi State Community College, KnoxvilleCulinary arts (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimated$24,500
Price if you pay yourself$9,052
Program website, Culinary Arts Degree Program at Pellissippi State Community College
More details about Culinary Arts Degree Program at Pellissippi State Community College
Finished
54%
Working at 6 months
79%
Earned in a quarter
$6,123
Length
Left out
Cost of supplies
$6,853
Students counted
276
Earned a year, estimated
$24,500
Price if you pay yourself
$9,052
Program website, Culinary Arts Degree Program at Pellissippi State Community College
Culinary arts certificate or diplomaHybridHigh school diploma or equivalent
Culinary Skills Essentials
Remington College's Memphis Campus
Memphis
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
Remington College's Memphis Campus, MemphisCulinary arts certificate or diploma · Accredited schoolHybrid · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$16,565
More details about Culinary Skills Essentials at Remington College's Memphis Campus
Finished
51%
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
32 weeks, 49 hours a week
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
130
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Price if you pay yourself
$16,565
Culinary arts certificate or diplomaIn personNo diploma needed
Culinary Arts
WSCC Morristown Campus
Morristown
Accredited school
No diploma needed
WSCC Morristown Campus, MorristownCulinary arts certificate or diploma · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimated$30,400
Price if you pay yourself$4,510
School website, Culinary Arts at WSCC Morristown Campus
More details about Culinary Arts at WSCC Morristown Campus
Finished
73%
Working at 6 months
79%
Earned in a quarter
$7,596
Length
33 weeks, 40 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$5,850
Students counted
119
Earned a year, estimated
$30,400
Price if you pay yourself
$4,510
School website, Culinary Arts at WSCC Morristown Campus
Culinary arts certificate or diplomaIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent
CULINARY ARTS TECHNICAL CERTIFICATE (Southeast Campus)
Nashville State Community College
Nashville
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
Nashville State Community College, NashvilleCulinary arts certificate or diploma · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimated$36,500
Price if you pay yourself$4,824
Program website, CULINARY ARTS TECHNICAL CERTIFICATE (Southeast Campus) at Nashville State Community College
More details about CULINARY ARTS TECHNICAL CERTIFICATE (Southeast Campus) at Nashville State Community College
Finished
89%
Working at 6 months
63%
Earned in a quarter
$9,131
Length
15 weeks, 15 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$1,733
Students counted
60
Earned a year, estimated
$36,500
Price if you pay yourself
$4,824
Program website, CULINARY ARTS TECHNICAL CERTIFICATE (Southeast Campus) at Nashville State Community College
Culinary arts certificate or diplomaIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Culinary Essentials Certificate (CEC) Program
University Of Memphis
Memphis
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
University Of Memphis, MemphisCulinary arts certificate or diploma · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$12,500
Program website, Culinary Essentials Certificate (CEC) Program at University Of Memphis
More details about Culinary Essentials Certificate (CEC) Program at University Of Memphis
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
30 weeks, 21 hours a week
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
Not reported
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Price if you pay yourself
$12,500
Program website, Culinary Essentials Certificate (CEC) Program at University Of Memphis
Culinary arts (associate degree)In personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Culinary Arts
Nossi College of Art and Design
Madison
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
Nossi College of Art and Design, MadisonCulinary arts (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$37,800
More details about Culinary Arts at Nossi College of Art and Design
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
90 weeks, 15 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$905
Students counted
Not reported
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Price if you pay yourself
$37,800

How to pay for culinary school in Tennessee

WIOA funding can pay for culinary school in Tennessee

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 Tennessee

lowest typical price among the states with enough programs to compare: 25th of 28
culinary programs here, against the typical state's 8: 6 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 Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville and other Tennessee cities

Choosing an area filters the program list above.

Other training in Tennessee

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

Where the Tennessee culinary arts program numbers come from

Which Tennessee culinary arts programs are on this list?

These are the culinary arts programs Tennessee 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 Tennessee offers.

How the prices and results of Tennessee 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 Tennessee

Show the 9 sourcesHide the sources

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