Culinary Programs in the Chicago area

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area

Programs

2 within 10 miles

Median pay here

$60,770

chefs and head cooks, BLS May 2025

Culinary Programs in the Chicago area at a glance

Open to the public: 13 programs: 11 at colleges and schools (IPEDS), 2 known only from the WIOA list
Distance from Chicago: 2 within 10 miles; nearest 2.4 miles, farthest 33.7 miles
Length on the WIOA list: 6 listed programs give weeks: 12 to 80 weeks full time
Completions, 2023-24: 289 culinary awards at the 9 colleges that reported any (IPEDS)
On the WIOA list: 6 of 13 on Illinois's eligible training list (DOL file, June 30, 2025)
Pay here: $60,770 median for chefs and head cooks ($29.22 an hour); 10th to 90th percentile $40,330 to $89,990; 6,840 employed in the metro area; Illinois median $58,830 (BLS OEWS, May 2025)

Program	Where	Type	Completions	Miles
Triton CollegeWIOA list	River Grove	Certificate	16	2.4
Food HeroWIOA list	Chicago	WIOA list only		8.1
St. Augustine College	Chicago	Associate	2	11.3
National Louis University	Chicago	Certificate	71	11.4
Roosevelt University	Chicago	Associate	0	11.4
College of DuPage	Glen Ellyn	Certificate	20	11.9
Chinese American Service LeagueWIOA list	Chicago	WIOA list only		12.0
City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King CollegeWIOA list	Chicago	Certificate	80	12.6
William Rainey Harper CollegeWIOA list	Palatine	Certificate	2	18.0
Elgin Community CollegeWIOA list	Elgin	Certificate	29	26.2
Prairie State College	Chicago Heights	Certificate	0	26.9
Joliet Junior College	Joliet	Associate	36	31.5
College of Lake County	Grayslake	Certificate	33	33.7

WIOA in Illinois: 3,233 programs are on the state's list in the U.S. DOL file, 15 of them Culinary.
Pell Grants for short programs
Workforce Pell
GI Bill